e room.

Beth clung to Kitty the whole night long, and had to be torn from her
in the morning, screaming and kicking. She stood in front of her
mother, her eyes and cheeks ablaze:--

"I shall pray to the Blessed Virgin--I shall pray to the Blessed
Virgin--every _hour_ of my life," she gasped, "and you can't prevent
me. Beat me as long as you can stand over me if you like, but I'll
only pray the harder."

"For God's sake, m'em," Kitty cried, clasping her hands, "let that child
alone. Shure she's a sweet lamb if you'd give her a chance. But ye put
the divil into her wid yer shakin' an' yer batin', and mischief'll come
of it sooner or later, mark my words."

When Kitty had gone, Mrs. Caldwell shut Beth up in the nursery with
Baby Bernadine. Beth threw herself on the floor, and sobbed until she
had exhausted her tears; then she gathered herself together, and sat
on the floor with her hands clasped round her legs, her chin on her
knees, looking up dreamily at the sky, through the nursery window. Her
pathetic little face was all drawn and haggard and hopeless. But
presently she began to sing--

"Ave Maria!
Mother of the desolate!
Guide of the unfortunate!
Hear from thy starry home our prayer:
If sorrow will await us,
Tyrants vex and hate us,
Teach us thine own most patient part to bear!
Sancta Maria!
When we are sighing,
When we are dying,
Give to us thine aid of prayer!"

As she sang, comfort came to her, and the little voice swelled in
volume.

Baby Bernadine also sat on the floor, opposite to Beth, and gazed at
her, much impressed. When she had finished singing, Beth became aware
of her sister's reverent attention, and put out her tongue at her.
Bernadine laughed. Then Beth crisped up her hands till they looked like
claws, and began to make a variety of hideous faces. Bernadine thought
it was a game and smiled at first, but finally she ceased to recognise
her sister and shrieked aloud in terror. Beth heard her mother hurrying
up, and got behind the door so that her mother could not see her as she
opened it. Mrs. Caldwell hurried up to the baby--"The darling, then,
what have they been doing to you?"--and Beth made her escape. As she
crossed the hall, some one knocked at the front door. Beth opened it a
crack. Captain Keene was outside. When she saw him, she recollected
something she had heard about his religious opinions, and began to
question