him for opening the way for his soul to the real
knowledge of God and holiness and peace.

It was the first human being that the colonel had led in the way of
life, and Pietro was a precious treasure to him.

Alma insisted upon being responsible for every expense that was
incurred for Pietro. She could do nothing more for him but remember
him in her prayers. The fair, slight girl, with the kindly look in her
dear blue eyes, seemed to him a thing quite apart from his life,
something he could not understand--that could not understand him.

The time would come when Alma, now walking tremblingly herself in the
way of life, would be strong to help the weak and struggling, and lead
the wanderers gently home.

CHAPTER XX.

THE OPENED DOOR.

The sweet bells of Aneholm Church were cheerily ringing. The sunshine
shed a quiet gladness over the smooth meadows, and even the moist, dark
evergreens of the distant woods glittered in the clear light.

Within the church, garlands of birch leaves hung here and there on the
white walls and festooned the carved pulpit. Green wreaths crowned the
golden angels that supported, each with one lifted hand, the sculptured
altar-piece; while in the other, outstretched, they loosely held wild
flowers, as if ready to strew them in the paths of the pilgrims bound
heavenward. The still marble figures that had so long sat watchers
beside the effigies on the great monuments of the honoured dead wore
now on their brows blue circlets of corn-flowers, as if to tell for
to-day of glad resurrection rather than of the dark tomb.

Tiny floral processions seemed passing in long lines along the tops of
the simple wooden seats for the congregation; for the sconces that had
held the lights for many a service on a winter morning or evening were
now filled with bouquets, placed there by the children who had the day
before been confirmed in the quiet sanctuary. The flowers, like the
children, were from the rich man's garden or from the woods and
meadows--here choice roses or glowing verbenas, there buttercups and
daisies.

To-day the newly confirmed, "the children of the Lord's Supper," were
to "come forward" for the first time to the holy communion.

The colonel generally walked to church with Alma and Frans, but this
morning the carriage had been ordered for him. A friend was to be with
him who was not strong enough to go on foot to the service. The
doctor, who was carefully watching over P