ng person can be called
to bear, one of the sorest is the feeling of wrongdoing on the part of
a beloved father or mother. I was sure that my father, blinded by old
habit and bound by the laws of the country, did not in the least
degree realise the true state of the matter. I knew that the real
colour of his gold had never been seen by him. Not the less, _I_ knew
now that it was bloody; and what was worse, though I do not know _why_
it should be worse, I knew that it was soiled. I knew that greed and
dishonour were the two collectors of our revenue, and _wrong_ our
agent. Do I use strong words? They are not too strong for the feelings
which constantly bore upon my heart, nor too bitter; though my
childish heart never put them into such words at the time. That my
father did not know, saved my love and reverence for him; but it did
not change anything else.

In the last stage of our journey, as we left a station where the train
had stopped, I noticed a little book left on one of the empty seats of
the car. It lay there and nobody touched it: till we were leaving the
car at Alexandria and almost everybody had gone out, and I saw that it
lay there still and nobody would claim it. In passing I took it up. It
was a neat little book, with gilt edges, no name in it, and having its
pages numbered for the days of the year. And each page was full of
Bible words. It looked nice. I put the book in my pocket; and on board
the ferry-boat opened it again, and looked for the date of the day in
March where we were. I found the words--"He preserveth the way of his
saints." They were the words heading the page. I had not time for
another bit; but as I left the boat this went into my heart like a
cordial.

It was a damp, dark morning. The air was chill as we left the little
boat cabin; the streets were dirty; there was a confusion of people
seeking carriages or porters or baggage or custom; then suddenly I
felt as if I had lighted on a tower of strength, for Dr. Sandford
stood at my side. A good-humoured sort of a tower he looked to me, in
his steady, upright bearing; and his military coat helped the
impression of that. I can see now his touch of his cap to Miss
Pinshon, and then the quick glance which took in Margaret and me. In
another minute I had shaken hands with my governess, and was in a
carriage with Margaret opposite me; and Dr. Sandford was giving my
baggage in charge to somebody. And then he took his place beside me
and we dro