been, and will
continue to be."

"We must not thrust her out, Edward. We cannot thrust her out. While
God permits her to remain, let us keep her, assured that He will send
for her use all things needful."

"Most cheerfully will I prolong my daily toil for her sake," replied
Claire; "and cheerfully will I make sacrifice of personal comfort.
Yes, let her remain where she is, so long as, in God's providence, she
is permitted to remain. If Jasper continues to withhold the price of
her maintenance, there will be the more left for her when she becomes
of age; and then, if there are defects in her education, a few years
of earnest application on her part, will remove them. Even now, we
could compel him to pay for her a reasonable sum, but in securing
this, we would assuredly lose the child, for this man's anger would
burn hot against us."

"I have thought of that," replied Edith. "No, our only plain course,
for the present, is to look away from Jasper, and regard Fanny as one
of our own children."

To this conclusion the mind of Claire and his wife came firmly.
Then the painful agitation they had for some time suffered gradually
subsided, and they began earnestly to cast about for the ways and
means whereby so large an extra draft as was likely to be made upon
their slender income could be met.

Two propositions were made by Edith: one was, that they should make a
reduction in their expenses, by moving into a smaller house. They now
paid two hundred dollars annually for rent; and she was sure that, for
one hundred and fifty, they might suit themselves very well. The other
proposition was, to give two or three hours every evening, after
the children were in bed, to fine needle-work, in which she was well
skilled.

"I could easily earn two dollars a week, in this way," was her
confident remark.

Claire, who had other plans in his mind, did not speak very
encouragingly of these propositions, though he avoided disapproval.
Increased expense demanded an increase of income; and his thoughts
were all now bent suggestively in that direction. As for Edith, her
burdens were heavy enough; and her husband, though he did not check
her generous enthusiasm, by no means acquiesced in the plan of evening
toil for his wife out of the range of her many domestic duties.

A few days went by, with no incident of importance. Claire, during the
time, appeared, to his wife more thoughtful that usual. One evening he
came home with a bright