enough stuff to keep it to the end of my days."

Then came over her the feeling of forlornness, of loneliness,
well and thoroughly realized; with the single gleam of better
things that sprung from the promise her heart had embraced
that day. True and strong it was, and her soul clung to it.
But yet its real brightness, to her apprehension, shone upon a
"land that is very far off;" and left all the way thereunto
with but a twilight earnest of good things to come; and
Elizabeth did not like looking forward; she wanted some
sweetness in hand. Yet she clung to that, her one stand-by.
She had a vague notion that its gleam might lead to more
brightness even this side of heaven; that there might be a
sort of comfort growing out of doing one's duty, and the
favour of him whose service duty is. Winthrop Landholm was
always bright, -- and what else had he to make him so? She
would try what virtue there might be in it; she would essay
those paths of wisdom which are said to be 'pleasantness;' but
again came the longing for help; she felt that she knew so
little. Again the word '_ask_' -- came back to her; and at last,
half comforted, wholly wearied, she rose from her long
meditation by the bed-side and went towards the window.

There was such a sparkling beauty on everything outside, under
the clear evening sun, that its brilliancy half rebuked her.
The very shadows seemed bright, so bright were the lines of
light between them, where the tall pointed cedars were casting
their mantle on the grass. Elizabeth stood by the open window,
wondering. She looked back to the time when she had been there
before, when she was as bright, though not as pure, as all
things else; and now -- father and friend were away from her,
and she was alone. Yet still the sun shone -- might it not
again some time for her? Poor child, as she stood there the
tears dropped fast, at that meeting of hope and sorrow; hope
as intangible as the light, sorrow a thicker mantle than that
of the cedar trees. And now the sunlight seemed to say '_Ask_' --
and the green glittering earth responded -- "and ye shall
receive." Elizabeth looked; -- she heard them say it
constantly. She did not question the one word or the other. It
seemed very sweet to her, the thought of doing her duty; and
yet, -- the tears which had stayed, ran fast again when she
thought of Mrs. Nettley's going away and how utterly alone she
should be.

She had sat down and was resting her arm on t