Down the wide staircase the lady came, holding her little girl by the
hand, and at the last step they halted. As Ralph looked up and saw her
face, pallid but beautiful, and felt the influence of her gracious yet
commanding presence, there came over him again that strange sensation
as of beholding some familiar sight. It seemed to him that sometime,
somewhere, he had not only seen her and known her, but that she had
been very close to him. He felt an almost uncontrollable impulse to
cry out to her for some word, some look of recognition. Then she began
to speak. He held himself firmly by the back of a chair, and listened
as to a voice that had been familiar to him in some state of being
prior to his life on earth.

"Boys," said the lady, "I come to thank you in person for your
assurances of sympathy for me and for my little daughter, and for your
veneration for the dead. I know that his feeling toward you was very
kind, that he tried to lighten your labors as he could, that he hoped
for you that you would all grow into strong, good men. I do not wonder
that you sorrow at his loss. This honest, simple tribute to his memory
that you have given to me has touched me deeply.

"I cannot hope to be as close to you as he was, but from this time
forth I shall be twice your friend. I want to take each one of you by
the hand as you pass by, in token of our friendship, and of my faith
in you, and my gratitude toward you."

So, one by one, as they passed into the room beyond, she held each
boy's hand for a moment and spoke to him some kind word, and every
heart in her presence went out to her in sympathy and love.

Last of all came Ralph. As leader of the party he had thought it