Frank did not forget the promise he had made Walter in prison, that if God spared his life he would be a better son to his parents than he had been. His mother, now his only remaining one, was very badly off, and was glad to return to Springcliffe, where Frank took her to live with him, and was able to make her old age comfortable.
Affliction had been blessed to Mrs. Hardy. She and her son Frank became regular worshippers in God's house; and they both felt how much they had to be grateful for; and in humble thankfulness they blessed God, who had called them out of darkness into His marvellous light.
THE END.
[THE EIGHT BELLS
And Their Voices]
——————
IT was on a winter's evening, in Henry Ekworth's early childhood, that the first voice of the Eight Bells fell upon his ear. He was seated by a comfortable fireside at home, close to his mother's knee, when a neighbour entered the room with a tale of horror which thrilled through his young heart, though its full import was imperfectly comprehended then.
It was a tale of death. An unhappy lady had that day been found lifeless in a neighbouring river, and report spoke of self-destruction.
Henry had seen that lady, had heard her speak, had received trifling gifts from her hand. Terrible it was to him to think of that hand as cold in death—and such a death!
"The Eight Bells caused it!" said Henry's gentle mother, as she broke out into sorrowful lamentations. "If it had not been for the Eight Bells, this might never have happened."
Henry did not understand the connection between the Eight Bells and the lady's violent and sad death.
The next day the child walked by his mother's side, and with her entered a house of mourning. He clung closer to her hand when the threshold was passed, for a painful scene was before them.