that lay stiff and cold upon the pulseless breast. "You would never have undertaken the journey but to gratify me; and the end is here! If you had positively refused to come, that might have settled it. But I knew your wishes, and disregarded them; so all the blame is mine. If I had always taken counsel of you, my better self, as I ought to have done, I should not now have been left with our precious little ones in these wild fastnesses, in danger of I know not what."
"Daddie!" cried an anxious voice, "may I come in?"
He heard, but did not answer. Jean opened the door of the tent, and knelt beside the still, white form of her mother.
"Couldn't you sleep, my daughter? "asked her father, reaching across the shrouded figure of his dead and tenderly caressing her tear-wet face.
"No, daddie; at least, not any more. I Ve had one short nap. When I woke and heard you moaning, I thought maybe you'd be glad to have me come in. I want to tell you my dream. May I, daddie dear, for mother's sake?"
"Yes, child."
"I dreamed that I was all alone in a great park. I have never seen anything half so beautiful when awake, so I can't tell you what it was like. But there were flowers and trees and fountains, and birds of paradise that sang heavenly songs. . It seemed that I could understand the language of every bird and butterfly and tree and flower. The birds did not seem the least bit afraid of me; and the memory of their music is sweet in my ears now.
"I don't know how I got across, but before I had time to think about it, I found myself on the opposite side of a broad and shining river, as clear as crystal and as blue as the sky. On the water, which I could see through to a wonderful depth, were countless living things, reflecting all the colors of the rainbow, and many more,—all swim
