"My dears," he said, "we are all on a journey, travelling homewards. Those we love are only a little way on in front of us; they have reached home. They would have waited for us, but our heavenly Father called them, and told them to pass on first. It can only be a little while before we follow them; and meanwhile the same Father bids us do our work cheerfully, contentedly, hopefully, leaving us this promise always close to us: "'Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' "We will thank Him for His goodness in bringing Walter home, and thus cheering our hearts." When they rose from their knees, he kissed them all round, and telling them he should be with them again presently, went to his study. That night, when all had retired, Walter sought his father, who told him the history of those last months. "It is painful to me to speak of it," he said "but I feel relieved; my heart feels lighter than it has done since she left me, for I have not been able to speak much of it all. Nellie, dear girl, has had enough to bear." "Yes, she looks very thin and tired; but Christina thinks she will recover gradually. I must try to cheer her if I can." "Poor, dear little Nellie," said her father. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XXV. HASTY. BUT Wilmot did not come back. As Nellie had told her father, it was all over; there would be no change. Christmas had passed, and New Year's Day dawned, bringing a second letter from Hope—a surprised, rather hurt, letter. "I always thought men extraordinary, Nellie, but never believed it could come so 'home' to me as this. "I told you about Wilmot's wish to go abroad. When he arrived, to our dismay, he brought all his belongings with him from London, and he and mother were closeted together for hours that night. "I heard all this from Maude, for I could not go down to the cottage on Christmas Eve, as I was to spend the next day there, and I had little things to do, besides not wishing to leave dear Mrs. Arundel for so long. "On Christmas day Wilmot seemed much as usual, but mamma looked pale and worried; and in the evening she told us Wilmot had decided to go to New Zealand, and had made arrangements for George to be in the same office and lodgings, and everything that he had been in, and to begin life in London in his place. "Mamma did not explain his reasons; simply said she had given her consent, and she believed it would be very advantageous for George. "I cannot write it all, Nellie, for I am busy, and besides my eyes ache with crying. Wilmot begged us not to make a fuss; that he should send for us in a year or two, and pictured to us what he should do, and what we should do. "We did not pass an unhappy evening after all, though I do not consider Wilmot seemed quite like himself. "The next day he came up and asked dear Mrs. Arundel if I might come home for a few days to help get his things ready, and she willingly assented.