Through the pass she wound her way, now running a bit with Cherry, now pausing to look at the river as it danced along, or to note the little birds as they hopped about from spray to spray, picking at the bright berries that yet remained.
Then turning out of the pass, she crossed the highroad, and entered a small cottage in a field, where dwelt a sick child, nigh unto death; but at the sight of the bright young face, she looked up with a smile. Nora produced some little delicacy out of the leather bag, to tempt the failing appetite; then seating herself beside the bed, began, at the child's request, to "sing to her something about heaven."
In the rich, sweet voice with which God had endowed her, she sang of the land where hunger and thirst, pain and sickness are felt no more, and where—
"Christ's presence fills each heart with joy,
Tunes every mouth to sing."
And the sweet singing soothed the restless child, and brought a smile of peace to her lips; and when, with a word of prayer, the visit ended, and Nora was out again on the snow-covered earth, the child lay and thought of her bright young visitor and of the happy land of which she had sung.
One or two more visits of love, and then Nora turned into the village school, the face of the teacher lighting up as she entered. She had a kind, merry word for all, praised some and gently chid others; then sat right down among the workers, and told them a story over which eyes that were beginning to look weary sparkled again, and to which the teacher herself listened as eagerly as the little ones. Then followed a simple hymn about the "Happy Land," in which the voices of even the very little ones chimed in sweetly.
And once again Nora was off, having left a good influence behind her. She had had a happy day and an adventure as well; for just as she was leaving the pass, who should she meet but two young girls, nieces of their neighbour, Mrs. Forbes, who, along with their governess, were going to Benvourd with an invitation for her to spend a week at Craiglora, to meet some friends from England who had arrived unexpectedly.
The girls had come so far in the carriage, and were to walk through the pass to Benvourd, but had contrived to take a wrong turn, and being strangers to that part of the country, were wandering about in great perplexity when they met Nora and her dog.
"No doubt," said one of them, "if you had not met us, we would have been benighted, and, perhaps, perished in the snow!"
Nora had laughed at that idea, but made a good joke about the travellers who had lost their way in the Highland pass.