Nellie paused. What should she sing to this assembly? Here was an opportunity which she might not have again. How she wished she could think that all of them knew what it was to be safe! So she began in rather a tremulous tone—
"Late! late! so late! and dark the night, and chill!
Late! late! so late! but we can enter still!
Too late! too late! ye cannot enter now!"
Before many words were sung, Nellie grew brave. She did not know if anyone there would sympathize with her, unless it were Wilmot, who she fancied thought differently from them all; but at any rate her Lord and Master was with her, and was she not trying to carry a message from Him?
There was deep silence among the little party when she ceased. The painfully solemn words, the pathos of her voice, the murmur of the sea, blended together to make an impression on the thoughtless young hearts.
Wilmot drew Mary's little hand within his own, and rose to proceed on their walk, and the rest followed in silence.
"It is not always 'too late,' Wilmot, is it?" asked she.
"No, my pet; never while life lasts."
"Because I shouldn't like to be left out. I often think about it, and I don't believe He will shut me out."
"Not if you have once been in, darling."
"But I'm not in heaven now, Wilmot, so how can I be in?"