ets tired, you know," replied the girl vaguely. "I suppose
it has to be, if one's sins are to be expiated. So many sins, so many
sufferings. That's what Mother says. It will be counted up some time,
maybe. Only, sometimes, it does seem as if there were more sufferings
than sins."

"Is that thy religion, Maiden?" responded Gerhardt with a pitying smile.

"It's about all I know. Why?--isn't it good?"

"Friend, if thou wert to suffer for ten thousand years, without a
moment's intermission, thy sins could never be balanced by thy
sufferings. Suffering is finite; sin is infinite. It is not only what
thou hast done, or hast left undone. The sin of thy whole nature
requires atonement. _Thou_ art sin! The love of sin which is in thee
is worse than any act of sin thou couldst commit. What then is to be
done with thy sins?"

Leuesa looked up with an expression of wistful simplicity in her blue
eyes.

She might be older than her years in some respects, thought Gerhardt,
but there were some others in which she was a very child.

"I don't know!" she said blankly, with a frightened accent. "Can't you
tell me?"

"Thank God, I can tell thee. Thou must get rid of this load of sin, by
laying it on Him who came down from Heaven that He might bear it for
thee. Tell me whom I mean."

The flaxen head was shaken. "I can't--not certainly. Perhaps it's a
saint I don't know."

"Dost thou not know Jesu Christ?"

"Oh, of course. He's to judge us at the last day."

"If He save thee not before He judge thee, thou wilt never be saved.
Dost thou not know He is the Saviour of men?"

"Well, I've heard say so, but I never thought it meant any thing."

"It means every thing to sinners. Now, how art thou about to come by
the salvation that Christ has wrought for thee?"

"The priest will give me some, won't he?"

"He hath it not to give thee. Thou must go straight to the Lord
Himself."

"But I can't go save through the Church. And oh dear, but I should be
frightened to have aught to do with Him! Except when He's a baby, and
then we've got our Lady to intercede for us."

"Art thou, then, very much afraid of me?"

"You? Oh no! You're coming with me to take care of me--aren't you?"

"I am. But what am I doing for thee, in comparison of Him who died for
thee? Afraid of the Lord that laid down His life for thine! Why,
Maiden, there is nought in His heart for thee save love and pity and
strength to help. He lov