Barbara sank down and down into a very whirlpool of nothingness. Bending
over it, as it were, she saw the face of her aged mother, the faces of
some of her dear sisters, the face of the kindly doctor, and lastly the
agonised face of her handsome son.

"Mother! Don't leave me, mother. Mother! for God's sake come back to me,
mother, or we shall never meet again. Come back to save me!"



These were the last words that Barbara heard.



CHAPTER VIII

THE ATONEMENT

Now these are the things that seemed to happen to Barbara after her
earthly death. Or rather some of the things, for most of them have faded
away and been lost to her mortal memory.

Consciousness returned to her, but at first it was consciousness in an
utter dark. Everywhere was blackness, and in it she was quite alone. The
whole universe seemed to centre in her solitary soul. Still she felt no
fear, only a kind of wonder at this infinite blank through which she was
being borne for millions and millions of miles.