His head swam from the excitement. His temples pounded like sledge
hammers. As he walked on, his feet grew heavy and dragged. Just how he
got there Hosea did not know, but suddenly he found himself in front
of his own home.

The day was now dawning. The first rays of the sun were shooting their
way through the early morning mist and playing on the bedewed stones
of the house. Hosea entered quietly, and walked up to the children's
bed room. To his amazement he found Jezreel asleep on his arms at
the table.

As he gazed for a moment upon the children, Hosea's heart was wrung
with sorrow. He picked Jezreel up from the chair. The boy, asleep,
clung tightly about his father's neck. Hosea laid him in his bed,
covered him, kissed him and, with bowed head, went to his own room.

And while little Jezreel was dreaming that a great giant came to his
home, picked up the house and shook it, carried it away to a beautiful
valley and brought back his mother, Hosea sat at the window and
watched and watched, until the morning's duties called him.




CHAPTER II.

_The Tragedy With a Purpose._