"'I have loved them with an everlasting love.'
"'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.'"
"Ah, if He loves me, why does He send such fearful trials?" she asked one day.
"My dear," said Mrs. Travilla, "He told his disciples, 'In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'
"'We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.' But 'our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.'
"Trust Him and He will do for you just what is best; will give you strength to bear all that He sends, and take you at last to Himself to be unspeakably happy forever and forever."
"I will, I do," she said. "Ah, Miss Keith," turning her sad eyes upon Mildred, who sat near with tears streaming down her cheeks, "I thank God that you were sent here to tell me of this heavenly Friend! for His love is all that sustains me in this dread hour."
She closed her eyes, and for some moments they thought she slept; but opening them again, "I am dying," she whispered; "but I am not afraid, for He is with me. Ah, how much easier than his death—his—my darling's!" she added with a shudder. "Only ten minutes to prepare; and—I—fear he had never found this Friend."
The keenest look of anguish they had ever seen came into her eyes with those words, and for some minutes she was too much overcome to proceed.
When at last she did it was in tones so low and tremulous that they strained their ears to catch the sounds.