ooked so hopelessly black.

Tom's words rang in her head--"The chieftain will try to do the work of
ten men!" What if he overworked himself as he had done once a few years
ago? What if he died in the attempt? She wished Tom had not spoken so
strongly. In the friendly darkness she did not try to check the tears
which would come into her eyes at the thought. Something must be done!
She must in some way help him! And then, all at once, there flashed into
her mind M. Noirol's teasing suggestion that she should go to Paris.
Here was a way in which, free of all expense, she might finish her
education, might practically earn her living! In this way she might
indeed help to lighten the load, but it would be at the cost of absolute
self-sacrifice. She must leave home, and father and mother, and country!

Erica was not exactly selfish, but she was very young. The thought of
the voluntary sacrifice seemed quite unbearable, she could not make up
her mind to it.

"Why should I give up all this? Why should prejudice and bigotry spoil
my whole life?" she thought, beginning to pace up and down the room with
quick, agitated steps. "Why should we suffer because that wretch has
gone bankrupt? It is unfair, unjust, it can't be right."

She leaned her arms on the window sill and looked out into the silent
night. The stars were shining peacefully enough, looking down on this
world of strife and struggle; Erica grew a little calmer as she looked;
Nature, with its majesty of calmness, seemed to quiet her troubled heart
and "sweep gradual-gospels in."

From some recess of memory there came to her some half-enigmatical
words; they had been quoted by Charles Osmond in his speech, but she did
not remember where she had heard them, only they began to ring in her
ears now:

"There is no gain except by loss, There is no life except by death, Nor
glory but by bearing shame, Nor justice but by taking blame."

She did not altogether understand the verse, but there was a truth in
it which could hardly fail to come home to one who knew what persecution
meant. What if the very blame and injustice of the present brought
in the future reign of justice! She seemed to hear her father's voice
saying again, "We must bear up, child; injustice won't triumph in the
end."

"There is no gain except by loss!"

What if her loss of home and friends brought gain to the world! That was
a thought which brought a glow of happiness to her even in the midst of
her