'
And I said then, 'Ruth, as you strive and as you pray for your
own child, so you must strive and pray to make Mary and Elizabeth
good, if you are trusted with them.' And she said out quite
clear, though her face was hidden from me once more, 'I will
strive and I will pray.' You would not have had any fears,
Thurstan, if you could have heard and seen her last night."
"I have no fear," said he decidedly. "Let the plan go on." After
a minute, he added, "But I am glad it was so far arranged before
I heard of it. My indecision about right and wrong--my perplexity
as to how far we are to calculate consequences--grows upon me, I
fear."
"You look tired and weary, dear. You should blame your body
rather than your conscience at these times."
"A very dangerous doctrine."
The scroll of Fate was closed, and they could not foresee the
Future; and yet, if they could have seen it, though they might
have shrunk fearfully at first, they would have smiled and
thanked God when all was done and said.
CHAPTER XIX
AFTER FIVE YEARS
The quiet days grew into weeks and months, and even years,
without any event to startle the little circle into the
consciousness of the lapse of time. One who had known them at the
date of Ruth's becoming a governess in Mr. Bradshaw's family, and
had been absent until the time of which I am now going to tell
you, would have noted some changes which had imperceptibly come
over all; but he, too, would have thought, that the life which
had brought so little of turmoil and vicissitude must have been
calm and tranquil, and in accordance with the bygone activity of
the town in which their existence passed away.
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