ir perfection. Never look at a bad trait, nor a blemish of any
sort. Try it. In a week's time you will be a new woman."

"Do you do that?" the woman asked in a low tone.

"I have _always_ done it," replied Carmen. "I don't know anything but
love. I never knew what it was to hate or revile. I never could see
what there was that deserved hatred or loathing. I don't see anything
but good--everywhere."

The woman slipped an arm about the girl. "I--I don't mind your talking
that way to me," she whispered. "But I just couldn't bear to listen to
any more religion."

"Why!" exclaimed Carmen. "That's all there is to religion! Love is the
tie that binds all together and all to God. Why, Miss Wall--"

"Call me Elizabeth, please," interrupted the woman.

"Well then, Elizabeth," she said softly, "all creeds have got to merge
into just one, some day, and, instead of saying 'I believe,' everybody
will say 'I understand and I love.' Why, the very person who loved
more than anybody else ever did was the one who saw God most clearly!
He knew that if we would see God--good everywhere--we would just
simply _have_ to love, for God _is_ love! Don't you see? It is so
simple!"

"Do you love me, Carmen, because you pity me?"

"No, indeed!" was the emphatic answer. "God's children are not to be
pitied--and I see in people only His children."

"Well, why, then, do you love me?"

The girl replied quickly: "God is love. I am His reflection. I reflect
Him to you. That's loving you.

"And now," she continued cheerily, "we are going to work together,
aren't we? You are first going to love everybody. And then you are
going to see just what is right for you to do--what work you are to
take up--what interests you are to have. But love comes first."

"Tell me, Carmen, why are you in society? What keeps you there, in an
atmosphere so unsuited to your spiritual life?"

"God."

"Oh, yes," impatiently. "But--"

"Well, Elizabeth dear, every step I take is ordained by Him, who is my
life. I am where He places me. I leave everything to Him, and then
keep myself out of the way. If He wishes to use me elsewhere, He will
remove me from society. But I wait for Him."

The woman looked at her and marveled. How could this girl, who, in her
few brief years, had passed through fire and flood, still love the
hand that guided her!

CHAPTER 19

To the great horde of starving European nobility the daughters of
American millionaires have droppe