Part 2 (1/2)

Her eyes glanced yearningly toward the child, who sat gazing upon her parents, with an instinct of approaching evil at her heart.

Too well did the dying man comprehend the meaning of this glance.

”G.o.d will take care of her. He will raise her up friends,” said he quickly; yet, even as he spoke, his heart failed him.

”All that is left to us is our trust in Him,” murmured the wife and mother. Her voice, though so low as to be almost a whisper, was firm.

She realized, as she spoke, how much of bitterness was in the parting hours of the dying one, and she felt that duty required her to sustain him, so far as she had the strength to do so. And so she nerved her woman's heart, almost breaking as it was, to bear and hide her own sorrows, while she strove to comfort and strengthen the failing spirit of her husband.

”G.o.d is good,” said she, after a brief silence, during which she was striving for the mastery over her weakness. As she spoke, she leaned over the sick man, and looked at him lovingly, and with the smile of an angel on her countenance.

”Yes, G.o.d is good, f.a.n.n.y. Have we not proved this, again and again?”

was returned, a feeble light coming into the speaker's pale face.

”A thousand times, dear! a thousand times!” said the wife, earnestly.

”He is infinite in his goodness, and we are his children.”

”Yes, his children,” was the whispered response. And over and over again he repeated the words, ”His children;” his voice falling lower and lower each time, until at length his eyes closed, and his in-going thought found no longer an utterance.

Twilight had come. The deepening shadows were fast obscuring all objects in the sick-chamber, where silence reigned, profound almost as death.

”He sleeps,” whispered the wife, as she softly raised herself from her reclining position on the bed. ”And dear f.a.n.n.y sleeps also,” was added, as her eyes rested upon the unconscious form of her child.

Two hours later, and the last record was made in Ruben Elder's Book of Life.

For half an hour before the closing scene, his mind was clear, and he then spoke calmly of what he had done for those who were to remain behind.

”To Leonard Jasper, my old friend,” said he to his wife, ”I have left the management of my affairs. He will see that every thing is done for the best. There is not much property, yet enough to insure a small income; and, when you follow me to the better land, sufficient for the support and education of our child.”

Peacefully, after this, he sank away, and, like a weary child falling into slumber, slept that sleep from which the awakening is in another world.

How Leonard Jasper received the announcement of his executors.h.i.+p has been seen. The dying man had referred to him as an old friend; but, as the reader has already concluded, there was little room in his sordid heart for so pure a sentiment as that of friends.h.i.+p. He, however, lost no time in ascertaining the amount of property left by Elder, which consisted of two small houses in the city, and a barren tract of about sixty acres of land, somewhere in Pennsylvania, which had been taken for a debt of five hundred dollars. In view of his death, Elder had wound up his business some months before, paid off what he owed, and collected in nearly all outstanding accounts; so that little work remained for his executor, except to dispose of the unprofitable tract of land and invest the proceeds.

On the day following the opening of our story, Jasper, who still felt annoyed at the prospect of more trouble than profit in the matter of his executors.h.i.+p, made a formal call upon the widow of his old friend.

The servant, to whom he gave his name, stated that Mrs. Elder was so ill as not to be able to leave her room.

”I will call again, then, in a few days,” said he. ”Be sure you give her my name correctly. Mr. Jasper--Leonard Jasper.”

The face of the servant wore a troubled aspect.

”She is very sick, sir,” said she, in a worried, hesitating manner.

”Won't you take a seat, for a moment, until I go up and tell her that you are here? Maybe she would like to see you. I think I heard her mention your name a little while ago.”

Jasper sat down, and the domestic left the room. She was gone but a short time, when she returned and said that Mrs. Elder wished to see him. Jasper arose and followed her up-stairs. There were some strange misgivings in his heart--some vague, troubled antic.i.p.ations, that oppressed his feelings. But he had little time for thought ere he was ushered into the chamber of his friend's widow.

A single glance sufficed to tell him the whole sad truth of the case.