Mollie gave an exclamation of delight at the wonderful scene spread out before her eyes. She blinked several times to make sure it was no hallucination and that what she beheld was real. There could be no mistake. The barn loft was just as she was accustomed to seeing it. The children were asleep in their miserable beds. The improvised light was dim. It only accentuated the shadows in the far corners and made the disorder everywhere appear more wretched. And there was she, herself, sitting, tired and distressed, on an over-turned box, with little Amy, so white and still, lying across her lap, breathing--just breathing, so faintly it could scarce be called by the name, her little soul lingering on the brink of--death, was it? Or life? Mollie wondered. Then the strange thing happened. The whole end of the loft toward which she faced suddenly dissolved. It disappeared as completely from her sight as if it had never existed. Instead, there were fields--beautiful green pastures, as far as eye could reach. One could step from the loft right out onto the velvety slope of a little knoll. There was not a thing to mar the beauty and charm of that landscape. One glimpse of it made her forget all the sordidness and terror through which she had struggled for years. She wanted to cry out in very ecstasy of joy but restrained herself, after the one, involuntary exclamation of rapture, because there was Someone sitting there, on that gentle incline, looking at her with an expression of such ineffable peace upon His beautiful features that instinctively she felt the slightest sound would be sacrilege. Where had He come from? Why had He paused there? The questions floated vaguely through her mind as she looked into that calm, tranquil face, striving with all her might to comprehend the meaning of the Stranger's presence. It was evident that He was kind and thoughtful, for there were little lambs lying about His feet, resting. Others close by were enjoying the wondrous pasture into which their steps had been led. For He must have led them. There was a Shepherd's crook in His hand to keep any of them from wandering away and getting lost. How beautiful his hands were! And yet there was a scar on each of them! But Oh, what gentle, loving hands they looked to be. Mollie felt tears welling into her eyes at very sight of them. Who was this glorious Stranger who by one look had made her want to run to Him, to kneel beside Him and ask Him so many puzzling questions? She felt sure He would be able to explain them all. There was that in His eyes which comforted her and made her feel so rested, so satisfied! She wished the children were awake. She wanted to lead them over to Him, so He could lay those marvellous hands upon them, as He did upon the lambs.