"Austin," he said, "I would that you and Lewis had met ere you left for China. Harry Lascelles writes he thinks we may expect your brother home ere very long, as he has now a chance of obtaining some good opening here.—But in the meantime, Priscilla, have we not been long of hearing from him? God grant there is nothing amiss."
Just then the door opened, and a stranger gentleman entered.
In a moment, Prissy sprung to her feet and moved, not toward the stranger, but to her father's side, as if to support him, whilst the word "Lewis" rose to her lips.
Instantly the stranger was beside her, and had thrown himself into his father's arms, saying, "Father, let me hear thy voice saying, 'I forgive thee.'"
But no words were required. The father broke down, and with tears of joy could only sob out the words, "My son, my first-born, much loved son, welcome, welcome home."
And Prissy and Austin repeated the words, "Welcome, welcome home."
When all the group knelt that night at the family altar, and Austin's voice rose in prayer, Lewis joined heartily in the Amen uttered by all as the young missionary prayed that those then kneeling in the presence of God would anew give themselves to Him, to spend their lives wherever they lived in seeking to draw souls out of Satan's kingdom, and lead them into that of the King of kings.
And when his words had ceased, Dr. Warner took up the strain, and gave thanks for the safe return of the one who "was lost, and was found again."
When Prissy and her brother sat together alone ere retiring to rest, they had much to say to each other. Prissy began to allude to her shortcomings in her home life.
But her brother interrupted her by saying, "Nay, Prissy, we will speak no more of the sins of our youth, but rather, by God's grace, like the apostle, forgetting the things that are behind, let us press forward to those that are before. What a noble fellow Austin has become!" he said. "And how bright and pleasant Gabrielle looks! And our Ruth too, Prissy, what a charm there is in her face; and as to Archie and Claude, I can scarcely believe they are the little fellows I left. And our father—ah! How he has aged, but how kind he is! Prissy, no one can ever know how I longed for a sight of him and all of you during the long weary weeks I lay in the hospital at Sydney. Ah! That was indeed a miserable time, till Harry Lascelles came and led my thoughts to our Father in heaven; and then I was led as a little child to come to Jesus, and to enter through him, even on earth, the kingdom of heaven."