"My child, one of the hardest lessons we can learn in this world is to
say, 'Not my will, but Thine be done.' I have lived fourscore years, and
yet I could not say it at first; but now" (with a calm glance heavenward)
"I can say, 'My Father, thy will be done.' If he takes Burt, he has given
us you;" and he kissed her so tenderly that she bowed her head upon his
shoulder, and said, brokenly:

"You are my father in very truth."

"Yes," was his quiet response.

Then she stole back to her seat. There was a Presence in the room that
filled her with awe, and yet banished her former overwhelming dread and
grief.

They watched and waited; there was no sound in the room except the soft
crackle of the fire, and Amy thought deeply on the noble example before
her of calm, trustful waiting. At last she became conscious that the
house was growing strangely still; the faint tick of the great clock on
the landing of the stairs struck her ear; the rush and roar of the wind
had ceased. Bewildered, she rose softly and went to Maggie's room, and
found that the tired mother in watching over her children had fallen
asleep in her chair. She lifted a curtain, and could scarcely believe her
eyes when she saw that the trees that had been writhing and moaning in
the gale now stood white and spectral as the lamp-light fell upon them.
When had the wind ceased? It seemed as if the calm that had fallen upon
her spirit had extended to nature; that the storm had hushed its rude
clamor even while it continued. From the window she watched the white
flakes flutter through the light she knew not how long: the old clock
chimed out midnight, and then, faint and far away, she thought she heard