The wear and tear of such times are very great on some people. A single night has been known to bow a form as stately as Seti’s—to blanch tresses as young and beautiful as Rachel’s. But let us hope the best for both sufferers. One of them is strong in youth, the other is strong in age. Neither will be easily overborne. Neither is a stretch of low-lying sands, easily loosened and carried out to sea in rough weather. Both are highlands, fronted and ribbed with rocks for the sea to dash and roar upon—rocky convictions of the supernatural, rocky faith in a divine government, rocky mens conscia recti. In this I find some comfort. At the same time I know that even rock-bound coasts sometimes suffer heavily in a wild time. Have I not walked on such a coast the day after the storm has been hurling its battalions upon it and found it ragged and torn and strewn with ruins—the battle-field of yesterday? And I am far from saying but that this may be just the condition in which the sore winds and waves of their trial may leave Seti and Rachel. We must be prepared for the worst while we hope the best. Should the worst come, no heart will be sorer than mine.

XIV.
THE ARGONAUTS.

Φιλεῖ δὲ τῷ κάμοντι συσπέυδειν θεός?

—Anon.

Does God love to help the struggling good man?