"Poor little Judy, how little she knows," thought the elder sister; "how very little she knows what a cloud there is between Jasper and me. Oh, if it goes on much longer, I think my heart will break!"
In the meantime, in her pretty white bed, Judy was murmuring an old text to herself:
"He that taketh not up his cross and followeth after Me, cannot be My disciple."
Once, long ago, the Rector had explained this text, or rather given a shadow of its meaning to the child.
"Followeth after Me," she murmured; and a vision came to her of One who, in the great cause of Love, had taken up His cross, even to death.
She wiped the tears from her eyes, and fell asleep.
CHAPTER XVII.
JUDY'S SECRET.
Be strong to hope, oh, Heart!
Though day is bright,
The stars can only shine
In the dark night.
Be strong, oh, Heart of mine,
Look towards the light!
Adelaide Proctor.