Page:Old ninety-nine's cave.djvu/334

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her brightest robes and from the west came streaks of golden light. Mr. De Vere advanced to meet the doctor and, laying a trembling hand on his arm, said,—"We know it, Doctor, and we also know that God is good."

"In mercy truly has this been done," Dr. Brinton replied, "the transition was painless—instantaneous!" But the man, not the physician, was talking now. No professional sympathy in the tones of one whose heart was bleeding. Elisha himself only guessed at the depth of the love that this good man had for him. When he concluded, there was not a dry eye in the room; even Watson sobbed audibly, and Margaret stole quietly upstairs to Celeste, her "baby," who lay as one dead.

Eletheer opened the door of Mary's room just as Margaret passed. Her patient was sleeping, and, throwing her arms around Margaret's neck, she whispered through tears which fell thick and fast,—"Oh, Margaret, and his last act was saving our lives!" Margaret could not speak. Unlike her husband,