CHAPTER XVI

THE AWAKENING

"He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in his bosom."--Isaiah x, 11

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.

Why, it was--it was--Oh, it couldn't be! But it was. She knew Him now. She recognized Him--the Shepherd! The Good Shepherd, who fed His flocks, who cared for the sparrows and who loved little children!

The realization awed and thrilled her. The joy of it made her want to shout, to sing, to weep such tears of happiness as she had never wept in her short life.

At last, He had come! God had heard their prayers! He had received the message their kite had carried! He was sending them help. He was going to take them away. The Good Shepherd had come to tell her. And only yesterday she had been thinking that He had not heard or was not going to answer their prayers! The recollection made her feel so ashamed. She could hardly bear to look up into those loving, tender eyes. Yet she knew, somehow, that He understood just how she felt, and that He didn't hold anything against her.

His very nearness made her feel calm and courageous. Even if He didn't stay, she knew she would never feel afraid and discouraged again. Seeing Him, knowing Him, even for a moment seemed to have dispelled all her old, haunting terror of Grimes and her dread of the future. She felt strong--strong to face even a lion, as her father had done. Strong enough to defy Grimes, if necessary, to help those children.

But the sudden ecstasy and sense of exhilaration gradually gave place to an exquisite calm. A great hush fell, even upon her thoughts. It permeated the entire landscape and spread itself over into the loft. The little lambs on the hillside stood still. A soft, yet radiant light appeared as the Shepherd arose from His seat on the grassy knoll and passed, slowly and majestically, between them.

Like one transfixed Mollie watched Him come--nearer, ever nearer, straight toward her, His sweet, loving eyes looking down so tenderly, so pityingly at Amy's little form lying, weak and helpless, across Mollie's lap, the strange, mysterious light emanating from Him falling in a direct ray, like a glorified sunbeam, full on the baby's face.

Was it the magnetism of that wondrous light that drew Amy's soul away from its tiny tenement of pain and suffering, or was it those strong, gentle, scarred hands that reached forth and lifted the little sufferer from Mollie's tired arms?

It may have been both. Mollie did not know. It was all so brief! So wonderful! So beautiful! She could not tell at just what instant the miracle took place. She only knew that in the twinkling of an eye there had been a change and when she looked again at the child in her lap little Amy had ceased to suffer, a smile of seraphic sweetness lingered upon her face and the Good Shepherd had gone away.

Mollie was wide awake. She had not slept. She had only closed her eyes for one little minute, but what wonders had taken place!

From the small, waxen form on her lap she turned her gaze toward the rough boards of the barn where, but a moment before, He had stood looking into her eyes and had walked, in that glorious light, over to stand beside her.

[Illustration: _Scene from Mary Pickford's Photoplay_. _Sparrows_. "THESE ARE MY KIDS!"]

Everything about the loft seemed just the same as usual--but no! No! It never would--never could be the same to her again. The Good Shepherd had walked among the children as they slept. He had gathered one in his arms. He had given her, Mollie, strength and courage. No, nothing would ever be the same again. Somewhere, she knew, He was watching over her darlings. With Him they were as safe as were his sparrows. God did not forget!