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"I do rely on what she confides to iven you cause to doubt her sincerity? Indeed, Florry, you do her injustice I would willingly--God only knoillingly--doubt some portions of what I have heard from her lips, but I dare not"
"Mary, can you not perceive that she is jealous of us, and hopes, by operating on your fears, to drive us fro since"
"Florry, it is for you to say whether Inez speaks truth From her lips I had the words--Your Cousin Florence is a Papist, wears a crucifix about her neck, and kneels in the confessional Oh, Florry! will you--can you--do you deny the charge?"
The cousins stood up, and each gazed full upon the other Mary's face was colorless as htly clasped as she bent forith a longing, searching, eager look A crilow rushed to Florence's very te an ashy paleness
"I aroaned and sank back into her chair, at this confirainst the chimney, and continued in a low, but clear voice--"I have little to say in defense of what you ht of any on earth to question my motives of actions; yet I would not that you, Mary, who have lovedthe reasons which I have to allege in favor of my conduct Mary, think hen I ask you what prospect of happiness there was for me a month since? Alone in the orld, with ruined hopes, and a long, long, joyless future stretching glooed for death, not as a passport to the joys of heaven (for I had never sought or deserved the rest, peace, and oblivion of the past I viewed it only as a long, last, drea ht, when suddenly there ca rays of the evening star, and just pierced the darkness in which I wandered The Padre caotten God, and bade me seek him who hath said, coive you rest Mary, do you wonder that I clasped the hand outstretched to save ed and insulted God? My eyes were opened, and looking down the long, dark vista of the past I saorshiping a creature, I built a great barrier between er, and resolved, ere it was too late, to dedicate the reave it The door of the church was opened, and Father Mazzolin pointed out the way by which I ht be saved The paths seem flowery, and he tells me the ways are those of pleasantness and peace, and I have resolved to try the, by unveiling her order than I ranted me absolution for the past, and I doubt not that in future the intercession of the blessed saints in heaven will avail with my offended Maker"