But Katy would not listen, only answering to him that he did not know, he could not feel, he never had been tried.
"Perhaps not," Morris said; "but Heaven is my witness, Katy, that if I could save you this pain by giving up my life for baby's, I would do it willingly; but God does not give us our choice. He knoweth what is best, and baby is better with Him than us."
For a moment Katy was silent, then, as a new idea took possession of her mind, she sprang to Morris' side and seizing his arm, demanded: "Can an unbaptized child be saved?"
"We nowhere read that baptism is a saving ordinance," was Morris' answer; while Katy continued: "But do you believe they will be saved?"
"Yes, I do," was the decided response, which, however, did not ease Katy's mind, and she moaned on: "A child of heathen parents may, but I knew better, I knew it was my duty to give the child to God, and for a foolish fancy withheld the gift until it is too late, and God will take it without the mark upon its forehead, the water on its brow. Oh, baby, baby, if she should be lost—no name, no mark, no baptismal sign."
"Not water, but the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin," Morris said, "and as sure as he died so sure this little one is safe. Besides that, there may be time for the baptism yet—that is, to-morrow. Baby will not die to-night, and if you like, it still shall have a name."
Eagerly Katy seized upon that idea, thinking more of the sign, the water, than the name, which scarcely occupied her thoughts at all. It did not matter what the child was called, so that it became one of the little ones in glory, and with a calmer, quieter demeanor than she had shown that day she saw Morris depart at a late hour; and then turning to the child which Uncle Ephraim now was holding, kissed it lovingly, whispering as she did so: "Baby shall be baptized—baby shall have the sign."