l!

Meanwhile what now troubled Charlotte Home had very little to do with
Uncle Sandy's possible gold. She was solving another problem, and the
task was a difficult one.

For the past month Charlotte had been making up her mind to a certain
line of action. Before she left Torquay her resolution was formed. She
had been over four weeks there, and during those four weeks she and her
boy had lived on Charlotte Harman's money. That money had saved the life
of her child. When she first saw it and thanked for it, and each
succeeding day, each succeeding hour, as she saw the color which was
health, and the appetite which was life, returning to her darling, the
conviction was growing upon her, that her hand could never inflict a
blow upon the woman who had done so much for her. Her children wanted
money, and her husband wanted money, and she herself too! A little dip
into this world's softnesses, she owned, would be very pleasant; but,
for all that, her hand must be still; her lips could not speak to cause
pain and agony to one who had done so much for her. Miss Harman was
going to be married. Was it possible that on the eve of her marriage
she, Charlotte Home, could deal to her so cruel a blow? No, it was not
possible. For Charlotte's sake, her father and uncle might keep their
ill-gotten wealth. Mrs. Home believed more and more firmly that she and
hers were robbed of their money. But now she could do nothing. She had
been so treated by her enemy's daughter that to appear against that
daughter's father would be impossible. As this conviction came to her,
and she resolved to act upon it, and to let all chance of recovering her
lost wealth go, a wonderful peace and calm stole over her. She almost
used to fancy she heard the voice of God saying to her,--

"I will provide for your children, I can give them riches. There are
better things to be won for those little ones than what money can give.
There is such a thing as a heavy purse and a poor and empty heart.
Suppose I fill those hearts with goodness, and greatness, and
generosity, and love; is not that a better portion for these creatures
who are to live for all eternity than the gold which lasts only for a
time?"

Yes, Charlotte felt that it was a better portion. And such peace and
contentment came to this woman during the last week at Torquay that she
thought it the happiest week of her whole life. But now--now she sat by
her own hearth in troubled maze. She had come back