ionate tears. Her deep attachment
to her Christian friends was most manifest. She kissed the hand of the
Countess and Margaret, warmly embraced Doucebelle, and then looked round
as if something were wanting still.

"What is it, my maid?" kindly asked the Countess.

"Father Bruno!" faltered Belasez through her tears. "Oh, I must say
farewell to Father Bruno!"

The Countess looked astonished, for she knew not that Bruno and Belasez
had ever met. A few words from Doucebelle explained. Still the
Countess was extremely dissatisfied.

"My maid," she said, "thy father may think I have not kept my word. I
ought to have told Father Bruno. I never thought of it, when he first
came. I am very sorry. Has he talked with thee on matters of religion
at all?"

"Yes." Belasez explained no further.

"Dear, dear!" said the Countess. "He meant well, I suppose. And of
course it is better thy soul should be saved. But I wish he had less
zeal and more discretion."

"Lady," said Belasez, pausing for an instant, "if ever I enter the
kingdom of the Blessed One above, I think I shall owe it to the Bishop
of Lincoln and to Father Bruno."

"That is well, no doubt," responded the Countess, in a very doubtful
tone. "Oh dear! what did make Father Bruno think of coming up here?"

As Belasez passed down towards the hall, Father Bruno himself met her on
the stairs.

"Whither goest thou, my child?" he asked in some surprise.

"I am going--away." Belasez's tears choked her voice.

"To thy father's house?"

She bowed.

"Without Christ?"

"No, Father, not without Him," sobbed the girl. "Nor,--if you will
grant it to me at this moment--without baptism."

"Dost thou believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?"

"I do."

Bruno hesitated a minute, while an expression of deep pain flitted over
his face.

"I cannot do it, Belasez."

"O Father! do you reject me?"

"God forbid, my child! I do not reject thee in any wise: I only reject
myself. Belasez, long years ago, Licorice thy mother did me a cruel
wrong. If I baptise thee, I shall feel it to be my revenge on her. And
I have no right thus to defile the snow-white robe of thy baptism
because my hands are not clean, nor to mingle the revenge of earth with
the innocence of Heaven. Wait a moment."

And he turned and went rapidly down the stairs. Belasez waited till he
came back. He was accompanied by Father Warner. She trembled at the
ordeal which she guessed to