"I wonder if pa's going to die?" the boy anxiously thought. "I
wonder if pa's ready?"

The sorrowful hours came and went. Mr. Colver regained
consciousness, but for weeks he felt the effects of the blow that
might have smitten him never to rise.

One night when Martin was going to his room, his father called
weakly to the boy.

Martin turned back. He found his mother sitting beside his father.

"Martin," said his father with grave earnestness, "your mother's
been reading to me from your Testament. We've been talking about
Bible things that we haven't paid much attention to. We were both
brought up better, Martin. The Lord's had mercy upon me. He might
have taken me suddenly that night, but he knew I wasn't ready, and
he had mercy on me. And now, lad, your mother and I thought we would
just kneel right down here to-night, and ask the Lord to take each
of us, and make us his own. You want to, don't you, my son?"

Martin nodded, and for the first time the stage-driver's family
knelt together. They whose souls had been sleeping were awake.




BY THE WAY.