It was not without a struggle that he called the only remaining child to his side to look upon her for the last time for many years.
"It must be," he said, "and then will my sacrifice be perfect; and from perfect sacrifice must fullness of good come forth. Faith alone could not perfect the work; Hope's added brightness was not all that was needed. Charity must be added." And he drew the fair, frail form to his side, and told her to go for her mantle.
He enveloped her slight figure in the spotless garment, and, placing her in the care of Zephyr, the gentle west wind, who was always faithful to her charges, bade her depart, with his prayers and blessings.
Zephyr was very tender of her charge, and, after what seemed a long journey to Charity, she laid her on a soft bed of moss in a pleasant woodland, where her sisters were gathering flowers.
She might have lain there some time had not Faith's eyes discovered her coming through the clouds.
Full and joyous was the meeting of the three; and when the sun went to rest they sought shelter among the people.
With the uplifted eyes of Faith, the clear, soul-speaking face of Hope, and the tender, forgiving words of Charity, their united force was great.
Some of the people at first refused to admit the last comer into their dwellings.
"Faith, with her lovely eyes, and Hope, with her bright ways, are good enough," they said; "and why need they bring this pale, fragile one to earth?"
But when once she had spoken, either in council or rebuke, to her listeners, there was melody and richness in her tones: such an awakening of their souls' finer powers that they ever after bade her welcome.