Nesta gazed at Betty in a puzzled kind of way; then looked away, for her eyes were filling with tears.
'Perhaps it may,' she said softly; 'I should like to think it did.'
'And can you tell me how I can go through tribulation? I want to get it over, so that I can be quite ready for heaven.'
'My dear child, if God means you to have it, He will send it in His own good time. Never wish for troubles; they will come fast enough as you grow older.'
'That's what nurse says; she tells us when we get to her age we shall know what distress and trouble is. But s'posing if I don't live to grow up? Violet didn't, and I'm so afraid I may not get inside heaven. I may be left out of those in the text, because I haven't been through tribulation. I don't want to be left out; I want to be in the very middle of them all! I want to stand singing, and have a crown and a palm, and I want to hear some one ask who I am; and then I want to hear the answer, "She came out of tribulation!" Oh! do tell me how I can go into it! Mr. Roper said you would teach me a lot of things.'
Betty's voice was eloquent in her beseeching tone, and Nesta was silent for a moment; then she said,—
'Trouble doesn't take us to heaven; tribulation, even martyrdom, does not. Don't you know what does? What did Jesus Christ come into the world for? What did He die for? Will you sing a little hymn with me? I expect you know it.'
Betty looked delighted.
'And will you play the organ?'
'Yes.'