"God help me, mother!" he choked.
"God will help you, my boy. As He stood by your father and has comforted me, so will He be your strength and defence. You and Ruth will fight all the better for not having the burden of my presence."
"Mother, mother, how can you say so?" Ruth interposed, with streaming eyes.
"I may be permitted to watch you from the hills of that Better Country," she went on, "I and your father. But in any case, God will watch over you."
This was her benediction. They went away at length, sadly and silently, but not till they reached the outer air did either of them speak. It was Ruth who broke the silence.
"She will never get better, Ralph."
"Oh, nonsense, sis. She is overcome to-day, but she will pick up again to-morrow."
"She has been gradually failing ever since we left Hillside, and she has never recovered any ground she lost."
"But the spring is coming, and once we have got her out of that dismal and depressing place, her strength will come back."
But Ruth shook her head.