Produced by Al Haines. [Illustration: Cover art] A Soldier’s Son _By_ MAUDE M. BUTLER DAVIS & BOND BOSTON : MASS. Copyright 1912 by DAVIS & BOND LINCOLN & SMITH PRESS BOSTON DEDICATION. To the children in years, and the children in Science, this little book is trustingly and lovingly inscribed by the author. NOTE. The Author wishes to state that no case of Christian Science healing has been cited in this story but such as she has known of a parallel case in real life. "We may not climb the heavenly steeps To bring the Lord Christ down. * * * * * The healing of the seamless dress Is by our beds of pain; We touch Him in life’s throng and press, And we are whole again." --_J. G. Whittier._ ―――― CONTENTS CHAPTER I.--HOME FROM THE WAR. CHAPTER II.--CAROL’S LETTER. CHAPTER III.--A FORBIDDEN BOOK. CHAPTER IV.--A WELCOME LETTER. CHAPTER V.--QUIET DAYS. CHAPTER VI.--FIRST WORK IN THE VINEYARD. CHAPTER VII.--"I KNOW." CHAPTER VIII.--A SECOND VISIT TO THE COTTAGE. CHAPTER IX.--"IT IS THE TRUTH." CHAPTER X.--AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER. CHAPTER XI.--PERCY’S REMORSE. CHAPTER XII.--THE PHYSICIAN’S VERDICT. CHAPTER XIII.--THE RECTOR’S REFUSAL. CHAPTER XIV.--"HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP." CHAPTER XV.--LETTERS AND TELEGRAMS REACH COUSIN ALICIA. CHAPTER XVI.--"IT IS A MIRACLE." CHAPTER XVII.--MRS. BURTON VISITS CAROL. CHAPTER XVIII.--HAPPY THOUGHTS. CHAPTER XIX.--THE REASON OF THE DELAY. CHAPTER XX.--"LIGHT AT EVENTIDE." CHAPTER XXI.--JOYFUL NEWS FROM ELOISE. CHAPTER XXII.--THE RETURN OF ELOISE. CHAPTER XXIII.--A LONG-DELAYED LETTER. CHAPTER XXIV.--A JOYFUL SURPRISE. CHAPTER XXV.--A LITTLE SERVICE. CHAPTER XXVI.--CONCLUSION. ―――― CHAPTER I.--HOME FROM THE WAR. The war was over--the cruel, cruel war; and Father and Uncle Howard were on their way home. Children’s voices, in every key of joy and thanksgiving, sang the happy news from morning to night. The white, strained look faded from Mother’s face, and she became her old, bright self again.