The tragedy of her father's life was settling on the girl's heart with a nameless misery.
It is the first instinct of the child's nature to look up to the parent as its refuge, its tower of strength.

That bulwark may be shattered before the world, and yet to the child's intuitive feeling it may remain the same.

Proudly, steadfastly the child heart continues to look up to the wreck that is no wreck in the eyes of its love.

Ah! how well it is if the undeceiving never comes! But when all that seemed strong, when all that seemed true, becomes to the unveiled vision weak and false, what word is there that can represent the sadness of the revealment?
"Do you think, Ralph, that I could bear a terrible answer if I were to ask you a terrible question ?" Rotha broke the silence between them with these words.

Ralph replied promptly,-- "Yes, I do.