s influence? Ah! that last night! That last night when Maria
had said to him: "Darling papa, a kiss!" and so many other tender
things, and would not let go his hand, how he had prayed! The memory of
it was a terror, a joy, a spasm to him. "Lord, Lord!" said he, gazing
heavenward. "Thou wert silent, but my voice reached Thee. Thou hast
answered my prayer in Thine own mysterious way. Thou hast taken my
treasure to Thyself, she is safe, she is happy, she awaits me. Thou wilt
reunite us." The fast-falling tears that accompanied his last words had
no bitter taste, but presently, while thinking once more of that last
night, he was bitterly sorry he had left Maria without telling her that
he had deceived her. "Maria, my own Maria!" he entreated, weeping,
"forgive me!" Good God! it seemed impossible that all this could be
true; it seemed impossible that if he went into the alcove-room he
should not find her there asleep in her little bed, her head drooping
towards her shoulder and her tiny hands resting, palms upward, upon the
sheet. Indeed she was still there, but----! Oh! how awful it all was!
Surely his tears would never end.

Leu came in bringing a light and a cup of coffee. The Signora had sent
her. He felt a thrill of tender gratitude towards his wife. Good God!
Poor Luisa! How hopeless was her grief! And what an awful semblance of
punishment for her in the blow which had fallen upon her at that very
moment, that very moment! She herself had realised that he must think
this, and he did indeed think it, but had denied his thought in order
to spare her, and this she had also realised. And was this awful
semblance of punishment destined not to bear any fruit whatsoever? She
seemed to shrink from God more than ever now, and who could tell how far
she might wander! Poor, poor Luisa! It was not Maria he should pray for,
Maria did not need his prayers. He must pray for Luisa, pray night and
day, trusting also in the prayers of the precious little soul now hidden
in God.

He talked with Leu, feeling more calm now, and had her tell him all she
had seen, all she had heard of this terrible event. "The Lord wanted
your little child for Himself," said Leu at last. "If you could only
have seen her in church, with her little folded hands and her serious
little face! She looked just like an angel. Indeed she did." Then she
asked Franco if she should leave the light. No, he preferred to be in
the dark. At what time was the funeral to tak