ever comes to us, comes from God, and is for our good.
But Veronica, we must put away all hatred and bitterness from our hearts;
these feelings are all evil, and we must ask to be forgiven for them.
Shall I go on with the prayer, where you left off, my child? Try to join
with me; it will help you, dear."

And Gertrude finished the Lord's prayer.

Veronica sat silent for a time, and then rose and went to her own room.
She could not sleep, but she had no inclination to seek relief for trouble
in her sewing, as she had been accustomed to do. Gertrude's words were
working in her heart. How often had she said lately in the proud
bitterness of her heart, "A fine truth indeed!

'Fortune stands ready, full in sight,
He wins, who knows to grasp it right!'"

And now Gertrude had shown her that the words were true after all, and
that she had herself grasped Happiness, the truest Fortune, even in the
midst of a deep sorrow, greater even than Veronica's own.

Sleeplessly for Veronica the hours of the night went by; but over and over
again the mother's words sounded in her ears, and she strove to quiet with
them the trouble and unrest of her heart.

CHAPTER X.

MAN PROPOSES, BUT GOD DISPOSES.

Still no news came from Dietrich. Jost made many attempts to show Veronica
how much he wished to win her favor. He often went to meet her, and he
gave himself endless trouble to convince her of his attachment. He could
not boast that he made himself of any use by going to meet her; for she
was always accompanied by Blasi, who marched by her side with a triumphant
air as if to say, "Jost can judge for himself who holds the place of honor
here!" When Jost joined them, Veronica took care that Blasi should walk
between herself and the intruder, and she neither said a word herself,
nor seemed to hear what the others were saying. Jost grew pale with
suppressed rage. Whenever at other times he met Blasi anywhere, he threw
contemptuous words at him. If occasionally Blasi stepped into the Rehbock
for a glass of beer, Jost would cry out,

"Oh ho, she allows it to-night, does she, you donkey of a servant? How
will you look when she doesn't want your services any longer, and gives
you your dismissal? She is already beginning to soften towards me, but
until she comes to me and begs me to hear her, I won't listen to a word,
nor pay the slightest attention to her."

Such remarks as these, thrown out before all the company at the Re