still."

"Not necessarily--it might have turned out to be a good business in some
other way, or for somebody else. The mere fact that we can't see how,
is no argument against the theory that _everything_ is constrained to
work for good by Him who rules the universe."

"What! even sin?" asked Otto, in surprise.

"Even sin," returned the doctor. "Don't you see that it was Getall's
sin of greed and over-speculation, and the clerk's sin of embezzlement,
which led to all these good results; but, of course, as neither of them
had any desire or intention to achieve the good results which God
brought about, they were none the less guilty, and were entitled to no
credit, but, on the contrary, to condign punishment. What I wish to
prove is that God causes _all things_ to work out His will, yet leaves
the free-will of man untouched. This is a great mystery; at the same
time it is a great fact, and therefore I contend that we have every
reason to trust our loving Father, knowing that whatever happens to us
will be for the best--not, perhaps, for our present pleasure or
gratification, but for our ultimate best."

"But--but--but," said Otto, while premature wrinkles rippled for a
minute over his smooth brow, "at that rate, is it fair to blame sinners
when their very sins are made to bring about God's will?"

"Now, Otto, don't run away with a false idea. For you to sin with a
view to bring about good, is one thing--and a very wicked thing, which
is severely condemned in Scripture--but for God to cause good to result
from your sin, and in spite of _you_, is a totally different thing.
Think of a pirate, my boy, a bloody-handed villain, who has spent his
life of crime in gathering together enormous wealth, with which to
retire into selfish enjoyment at last. But he is captured. His wealth
is taken from him, and with it good men establish almshouses for the
aged poor, hospitals for the sick, free libraries and free baths
everywhere, and many other good and beneficent works. The pirate's
labours have, in God's providence, been turned into this channel. Is
the pirate less guilty, or less deserving of punishment on that
account?"

Further discussion on this point was interrupted by a sharp order from
Malines to reduce sail, and the consequent bustling about of the
sailors.

"Going to blow, think you?" asked Dominick, who came on deck at the
moment.

"Can't tell yet," replied the mate, "but the glass has fallen suddenly,
a