'You belong to him more than True does. I want you to be his little companion. Go out with him, talk to him, tell him about your lovely picture, let him feel he cannot get on without you. Oh, Bobby, dear, you love your father with all your heart and soul! Show it to him by your life. I want you two to be inseparable. I shall pray you may be.'
A glorious light dawned in Bobby's eyes. He caught Mrs. Allonby's meaning.
'I'll die for him if I can,' he said fervently; and deep down in his heart he meant what he said.
True stood looking at her mother with sadly pathetic eyes.
'When are you going, mother? Oh, I think God might do without you a little longer. I won't pretend I want you to go; I won't.'
'My little girl, I know you don't want me to leave you; and at first I felt just like you do. But I have been lying here talking to God, and He has been talking to me, and now I know that He makes no mistakes, and is doing the very best for all of us by taking me now. I shall look for you and father, and one day we shall be all together again, I hope, in that beautiful country that now seems so far away.'
There was a little silence in the room; then Mrs. Allonby turned to Bobby.
'Bobby, dear, will you say me that verse in that old Italian Bible of your grandmother's? Somehow, now I am so near the gates, it seems to bring me more comfort than our English version. I have so often broken God's commandments. But the other—is so simple—so comforting!'
Bobby repeated his favourite verse with glad assurance.
'"Blessed are they that wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb, that they may have right to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the City."'