"He told me about a man named Tell, who shot an arrow through an apple on the head of his boy, and about a fellow named David, who killed a giant with a stone. He said the last story was in the Bible, and asked me to come up to his Sunday-school and hear about it."
"Of course you'll go," said the brother, with a sneer.
"I promised to go, and Ray Branford keeps his word; which is more than either of his brothers can say," responded the lad, hotly.
"Hoorah! our Ray will be a minister yet," shouted his youngest sister, pulling his hair as she passed by him.
A general laugh followed this sally.
"He is the only one out of the whole lot of which such a thing is possible," sharply answered the woman waiting at the table, and who was the wife of Ray's oldest brother. Then stopping beside the boy, she said, in a tone too low for the others to hear:
"Mother is suffering dreadfully, Ray. I wish you'd go in and see her before you go back to the mill."
He arose, and, crossing the room, entered a small bedroom. On the bed lay a woman; and even to the most casual observer the hacking cough and hectic flush told that her days were numbered.
In a rough sort of a way, that he intended should indicate kindness, Ray asked:
"How are ye to-day, mam?"