“Why do you sigh, Mr. Watkins?” she asked, abruptly.  “It seems to me that these changes should bring nothing but smiles, they are such necessary reforms, yet they have been so long in coming.”

“I was thinking of Mr. Denton, I suppose,” was the answer.  “He’s such a good man now that I hate to see him go to the wall completely.  Why, Miss Marvin, have you any idea what these reforms have cost?  I cannot tell you the figures exactly, of course; but the bills for the past month are enough to frighten one.  If he continues his present methods he will not be in business a year longer.”

“I thought so,” said Mrs. Marvin, quickly.  “Religion and business cannot be combined.  The man who follows his conscience is sure to lose money.”

“But he gains that which is better,” spoke up Faith, quickly.  “Ask Mr. Denton if this is not true.  He has found it so already.”

“Well, his poor wife doesn’t share his sentiments,” said Mr. Watkins, “for she has worried so fearfully over his enormous losses already that she is now on the verge of losing her reason.”

“Poor soul,” said Mrs. Marvin; “she must be a very worldly woman, for, while extreme poverty is cruel, still, she will probably never reach that condition.”

“I am not so sure,” replied Mr. Watkins, “but even moderate comfort would be cruel to her, for she was born and has always lived in the lap of luxury.”

“I suppose the news of her son’s wickedness has distressed her also,” said Mrs. Marvin, slowly.

Faith’s cheeks flushed hotly, and she bent her head over her sewing,

“She has tried to get him to have the marriage annulled,” was Mr. Watkins’ answer.  “It could easily be done, as both parties were intoxicated.”

“And will not the young man agree?” asked Mrs. Marvin, mildly.  “I should think he would be just the kind to jump at the opportunity.”

“His father will not hear of it,” said Mr. Watkins, “and of late even the young man himself has shown a willingness to own her.”

Faith raised her head with a light shining in her eyes.

“Then he is not altogether bad,” she said, very quickly.  “If he does right to Maggie now we ought all to forgive him.”

She spoke so earnestly that, both her mother and Mr. Watkins looked at her sharply.

If her mother understood her eagerness, she did not betray it, but with Mr. Watkins it was different.  He understood and was nettled.

“Is Mr. Day in business again?” asked Mrs. Marvin, who seemed suddenly to find it necessary to change the conversation.

“No, he has gone abroad to spend his money,” answered Mr. Watkins.  “He says that he made a small fortune out of another man’s religion, and that is far more than he has ever made out of his own, for that was never known to bring him in a penny.”

“That is a dreadful thing to say,” replied Mrs. Marvin, slowly, “for, while I do not get much comfort out of my belief in God, still, I realize that, it is my own stubbornness that keeps me from it.  Some day I hope to understand it better.”