Oh, can’t you see them facing one another? Sam, with his life’s devotion in his eyes, defying Ross. King’s Regulations and the Hickley Woods striving for the last mastery: and then Sam, since he might not save his master, glad that at least he could stand beside his life-long friend and comrade, in that great and last adventure—taking equal odds. Then Uncle Jasper came, and we left them lying side by side in that quiet spot that is for ever England, with just a little wood-encircled cross to mark the place. Then we went back to Devonshire, to my old home, and I think my heart is broken. I am acquainted with grief now, as daddy said I would be, but I do not know _His_ love. I am rebellious, I can only feel His mastery in my pain. I am not ’courteous,’ as Ross was, or ’dutiful’ like father, for I have told that Man of Sorrows—the Master of the Universe—that He has been very cruel to me. *CHAPTER II* ’All which I took from thee I did but take Not for thy harms. But just that thou mightst seek it in my arms.’ _Hound of Heaven._ It seems such a coincidence that Ross just missed him after all, for when we arrived at the Manor House I found my father! He had landed the day before and heard the news from dear Aunt Constance. What a homecoming for him! He is little changed, more bowed, perhaps, and he looks older. His face seems more aloof, as if he had not only caught a glimpse of that ’most holy thing,’ but, like Sir Galahad, had ’achieved the quest.’ He held his hand out to me as I went in, and said, ’My little girl.’ Then the others left us for awhile together. I do not think the years out in that Mission have been easy ones, he looks as if he, like his Lord, had suffered being tempted, and he sorrows deeply for his son. He is so unselfish, so thoughtful, talks about the things that interest Uncle Jasper, and takes away that terrible blank feeling. He even laughs a little, though I don’t think that his eyes have really smiled. There is a hurt look in them, as there was when mother died. Every one is very sweet to me, but I am the most wretched woman on this earth! No, not because of Ross. How could I be for him, after seeing his face when he said ’Coming, Sir.’ Although I know that I shall never lose the ache to hear his voice and see him in the flesh again, yet I could be at peace were it not for one thing. It is my soul that’s wrong. It has been ever since that time I stood beside the fire doubting the love of God, and, oh, for months before. Doubt is ’perilous stuff’—’it weighs upon the heart.’ I am not sleeping very well, and as I lie awake at night I think sometimes of all the others who are grieving, too, and because I share the same sorrowful ’experience’—because there is inscribed upon my heart, as upon theirs, a list of names: I find myself ’linked up’ again—bound indissolubly to each of them by a great sorrow, common to us all.