"I will take him to live with me, Mary," whispered Faith, nobly. "My mother will love him and so will I—but what is it, dear?"
Miss Jennings was trying to say something more. Her voice was so low that only Faith could hear it.
"Will He forgive indifference, rebellion, distrust?"
"Though your sins are as scarlet, He shall wash them white, dear Mary. As we forgive our enemies, so He will forgive us."
The dying girl raised her eyes. Strangely enough their gaze rested upon the face of Mr. Denton.
He had come back to the scene only a moment before, and for perhaps the first time in his life, pangs of remorse were seizing him.
"I—forgive—" murmured the poor girl, still gazing at Mr. Denton. Her eyes closed slowly as she spoke.
With a fearful groan, Mr. Denton fled from the place.
The physician had done what he could, but his efforts were useless. Another life had gone out at the very dawning of its day; crushed out by the injustice and the greed of fellow-beings. Faith choked back her sobs as well as she could, and looked on in amazement at what followed the tragedy. An undertaker was called and placed in charge of the body, and the utmost concern seemed to be felt about all the arrangements, especially by Mr. Gibson, who had been put in charge of the matter by the firm.
Faith would not have understood such a sudden "change of heart" if she had not been enlightened by one of the other women.