“God have mercy upon me, a miserable sinner.”
“He will; He will. He knows how sorry you are. Don’t be afraid. He has said that whoever comes to Him He will not cast out, and though your sins are as scarlet He will make them white as snow,” Louie would say to him at intervals, and cheered by her words, hope came at last, and though he did not talk much, there was a look of peace upon his face which deepened as the great change came, and when Louie bent over him and asked, “Father, do you know me? And is it well with you?” he answered, “Yes, all is well,” while his old-time smile settled around his mouth and made his face more natural in death than it had been during his illness.
The first intimation the judge had of his death was in church, where prayers were said for a family in affliction. He felt sure it was for Mrs. Grey and Louie, and his amen was so loud as to make his wife start and glance sideways at him. The next morning he said to her:
“We’d better drive to the Greys and leave cards of condolence. Which corner do we turn down? Hanged if I know.”
Mrs. White didn’t know, either, but ventured a guess that it used to be the lower left-hand; so the cards bearing the names of Judge White and Mrs. White, with the lower left-hand corner turned down, were left at the Greys, where other cards were received as the day wore on, and words of sympathy were spoken and offers of help made and accepted.
Mrs. Grey had collapsed again, and everything was left to Louie, who, with white face and dry eyes saw everybody, even to Godfrey Sheldon, who came to her and said:
“You’ll want a carriage for the grave, and I thought mebby you’d like your old one with Jack and Jill and the driver. I’ll put a knot of crape on his arm.”
Louie thanked him and accepted his offer, and then hurried from him to read a note from Herbert, who wrote:
“Dear Louie: I have just heard of your father’s death, and am awfully sorry for you. I wish I could be there; but as I cannot, I shall send some flowers, which are for you as much as for your father.
“Herbert.”