Part 2 (2/2)

The boys looked at one another, thinking of the words that had been spoken to them a little while ago.

”It is Timothy Bent, mamma,” said Violet, as her mother came in. ”He is dead.”

”Is he gone?” said her mother, sitting down. ”Did he suffer much? Were you with him at the last?”

”Yes, he suffered,” said Mr Inglis, a momentary look of pain pa.s.sing over his face. ”But that is all past now forever.”

”Did he know you?”

”Yes, he knew me. He spoke of the time when I took him up at the corner, and brought him home to you. He said that was the beginning.”

There was a pause.

”The beginning of what?” whispered Frank to Violet.

”The beginning of a new life to poor Tim,” said Violet.

”The beginning of the glory revealed to him to-day,” said Mr Inglis.

”It is wonderful! I cannot tell you how wonderful it seemed to me to-night to see him as he looked on the face of death. We speak about needing faith in walking through dark places, but we need it more to help us to bear the light that s.h.i.+nes on the death-bed of a saved and sanctified sinner. How glorious! How wonderful! For a moment it seemed to me beyond belief. Now with us in that poor room, sick and suffering, and sometimes afraid, even; then, in the twinkling of an eye, in the very presence of his Lord--and like him--with joy unspeakable and full of glory! Does it not seem almost past belief? 'Thanks be to G.o.d, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!'”

There was silence for a good while after that, and then David first, and afterwards the others, answered the mother's look by rising and saying softly, ”Good-night,” and then they went away.

CHAPTER TWO.

”Papa does not feel it to-night,” said Jem, as they went up-stairs; ”but he'll be tired enough to-morrow, when he has time to think about it.

And so poor old Tim has gone!”

”'Poor old Tim, no longer,' as your father said,” said Frank, gravely.

”It does seem almost beyond belief, doesn't it?”

”What?” asked Jem.

But Frank did not answer him directly.

”I wonder what battles old Tim had to fight,” said he. ”Your father said he had gotten the victory.”

”Oh! just the battles that other people have to fight with the world, the flesh, and the devil, and a hard time he has had, too, poor old chap,” said Jem.

”Jem,” said David, ”I think old Tim Bent was the very happiest old man we knew.”

”Well, perhaps he was, after a fas.h.i.+on; but I am sure he had trouble, of one kind or another--sickness, poverty, and his people not very kind to him--tired of him, at any rate. However, that don't matter to him now.”

”He has gotten the victory,” repeated Frank. The words seemed to have a charm for him. ”It is wonderful, isn't it?”

All this was said as the boys were undressing to go to bed. There were two beds in the room they occupied, the brothers had one, and Frank had the other. After the lamp was blown out, David reminded the others that they must be up early in the morning, and that the sooner they were asleep, the readier they would be to rise when the right time came; so there was nothing said for a good while. Then Frank spoke:

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