"Bessie! Bessie! what shall I do? what must I do?" I cried, wringing my hands and handing her the letter to read. Hurriedly reading it, she quickly said, "Let us pray." Immediately suiting the action to the word, she as briefly as possible asked the Lord for speedy help. It came—an instantaneous impression to telephone to the hotel at S—— where Reba had been employed. "Keep on, Bessie, keep on praying," I requested as I arose from my knees and hastened into the next room, took down the receiver, called for the long-distance operator, asked for my party, and emphatically declared it to be a matter of life and death requiring immediate service. Shortly I was talking to the landlady of the N——- J——- Hotel, who told me that Reba was still under her roof, but was expecting to leave for San Francisco on the next train.
"Please call her to the 'phone," I said, and very soon I heard Reba's voice.
"Hello; who wants me?" she said.
"Mother Roberts, Reba dear," I replied. "Stay where you are. I am coming on the next train"
"But I'm going on the next one to San Francisco I can't; my trunk is at the depot."
"Reba, you must wait till I come, dear. I've some good news for you."
"Very well; I'll wait. Fortunately, I haven't bought my ticket yet."
"Good-by," I gladly said. "Meet me."
There was barely time to make the next train; but, as usual, the Lord (bless his dear name forever!) favored me. I reached S——- at 7:30 P.M. On our way to the Hotel Reba whispered, "Mother Roberts, will you occupy my room with me tonight? I want to have a long, long talk and it's the quietest part of the house, up on the third floor."
After supper we repaired to her neat little room, and following prayer, soon retired, but not to sleep. Dear Reba, with many tears, particularized the trying situation, as she lay with my arms about her. Shortly after midnight she sweetly slept. Not so with me. I heard every hour and half-hour strike, up to half-past four, on some clock near by. It seemed very close and warm, attributable, so I thought, to the smallness of this inside room.