ssion
of peace and gentleness.

The tempest was overpast, and had destroyed no vital part. Even remorse
and shame were slightly felt. So absolute was the victory of that
joyful peace that had been preached in the room beside her. Slowly, and
by side-paths, does the principle of evil steal over us, and assume its
sway--good asserts its victory at once.

CHAPTER V.

Next morning her friends noticed with astonishment the change that had
come over her. The vicar's wife could only explain it by supposing
Marlene to have overheard their conversation of the night before. "So
much the better," said the vicar. "If she has heard it, I have nothing
more to say."

After this, the young girl's gentle tenderness towards Clement and his
parents, was touching to behold. She only wished to be considered as
belonging to them. Any proof of their affection she received with glad
surprise; as more than she expected or deserved. She did not talk much,
but what she said was gay and animated. In her whole manner there was a
softness, an abnegation of herself, that seemed meant for a mute
apology. In their wanderings she again took Clement's arm, but she
often begged to be allowed to sit down and rest. Not that she was
tired; she only wished to give the boy his freedom to climb about
whenever he saw anything to tempt him. And when he came back to tell
her what he had seen, she would welcome him with a smile. Her jealousy
was gone, now that she desired nothing for herself but the pleasure of
seeing him pleased.

Thus strengthened and raised to better feelings, she came to the end of
her excursion--and the strengthening had come when it was needed. She
found her mother laid low by a dangerous disease, which carried off the
delicate woman in a day or two. And after the first few weeks of
mourning, she found that her sadly altered life exacted duties of her,
for which before she hardly would have been fitted. She busied herself
about the household, late and early. She found her way, in spite of her
infirmity, into every nook and corner of their small home; and though
there were many things she was unable to do herself, she shewed both
cleverness and foresight in her arrangements, and in her watchful care
that her afflicted father should want for nothing.

She soon acquired a remarkable degree of firmness and quiet dignity.
Where formerly repeated admonitions had been necessary, she ruled the
men and ma