;
but not under the idea that they can first put away their sins, and
merit His love by any good deeds or penances they may perform. Such
acts as are pleasing in His sight must spring from loving obedience to
Him; all He does is of free grace; we can merit nothing, because we owe
Him everything. When you see this clearly, you will understand more
perfectly the wrong principles on which the whole Romish and ritualistic
systems, and, believe me, they are identical, are founded."

Through the general's remarks Clara's eyes were quickly opened; it
appeared as if a thick veil had been thrown over them, which had
suddenly been removed, and she wondered how she could have been so
lamentably deceived. She looked upon her convent life, with its rigid
rules, its senseless silence, its hours of solitude, its meagre fare,
the cold and suffering uselessly endured, its unnatural vigils, its
mockeries of religious observances, the cruelties she had seen
practised, all tending to depress the spirits and lower the physical
powers, with just abhorrence; and then a choking sensation came into her
throat, and the colour rose to her cheeks as she thought of the
abominable confessional, the questions asked her, and the answers she
had had to give. She tried to shut them out from her thoughts. Could
she ever be worthy of the pure, honest-minded, open-hearted, noble
Harry?

On reaching their sitting-room at the inn, the general looked at Clara's
costume.

"I suppose, my dear child, that you would like to assume the ordinary
dress of a young lady of the nineteenth century," he said with a smile,
"in lieu of those garments of the dark ages."

A smile almost rose to Clara's lips, though her cheeks were blushing and
her eyes suffused with tears as she answered, "Yes, I should very much,
and I must ask if you will be good enough to send them back to the
convent, as they belong to the community, and I have no right to keep
them."

"With all imaginable pleasure," exclaimed Mr Franklin; "and I am happy
to say that I can assist you in procuring a desirable costume. I have a
relative residing here who is much about your height and figure, and as
she has some interest with the mantua-makers, I have no doubt that by
to-morrow morning she will induce them to supply you with a
travelling-dress and such other articles of apparel as you may require."

Clara expressed her thankfulness, and added, "Pray let it be as simple
as possible."

"Oh yes