it
around the still and beautiful form of the precious dead.
"What do you imagine caused the child to predict his untimely taking off, Mr. Burns?" asked Mrs. McAlpin, as they watched alone.
"I suppose it was merely a child's fancy,—a coincidence, probably."
"And I suppose it was a revelation. Many important lessons may be learned from the artless utterances of a child."
For many weeks Mrs. McAlpin had studiously avoided conversation on any subject with the one man on earth whom she believed to be her counterpart.
"Wait till that human imperfection called the Law has made me legally free," was her invariable command whenever her suitor showed symptoms of impatience.
But to-night, as they knelt together in the presence of what the world calls Death, he seized her hand, and it was not withdrawn.
"Kneeling in this presence, may I have my answer, Daphne?"
The dim light of a sputtering tallow candle shed a faint glow across the white sheet under which the still form of Bobbie lay in dreamless sleep.
She returned the pressure of his hand in silence. But when he would have caught her in a close embrace, she gently withdrew and whispered: "We will take our first kiss at the altar, darling."
"I am happy now, and I can wait. God bless you!" he whispered; and as others were about entering the tent, he arose from his knees and went out silently among the stars.
The morning came at last. Amid the tearful silence of the company the train moved on for a couple of miles and halted at the foot of a mountain to consign the mortal remains of the little soul to their last resting-place. High up on the mountain-side, on a natural terrace,
