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Page 55
"The way will be made plain before us," said she. "It is plainer now
than it was last night--much plainer."
"How can you say that, Edith?"
"Mr. Jasper has refused to pay any thing more to us for Fanny's
support."
"Yes."
"But in the refusal said nothing about our giving her up to him."
"Well?"
"I gather from this, and the fact that he was aware of her being
twelve years old, that he does not really want her now in his own
family, but refuses to pay us for her board and education from a
feeling of ill-will toward you. His manner to the young man who
presented the order clearly indicates this."
"You may be right there, Edith," said Claire, a further light breaking
into his mind. "We have at least done our duty toward Fanny in making
this demand on her guardian. And now, the question left for us to
decide may be whether it will be just toward her, and also toward our
own children, still to keep her in our own family, and let her share,
with the others, the best that it is in our power to give."
"And will it be hard to make that decision?" said Edith, a slight
flush coming into her earnest face.
"I think not," was the firm reply.
"Have we loved her less than our own?" asked Edith.
"I believe not."
"Love seeks the highest good for its object."
"Yes--yes."
"Can a stranger love the child as we have loved her?"
Claire shook his head.
"Can a stranger, even with more of what the world gives, yet with less
of a genuine affection, secure for her, as we may, what should justly
be regarded as the highest good in life."
"No stranger can ever be to her, Edith, what you have been, and will
continue to be."
"We must not thrust her out, Edward. We cannot thrust her out. While
God permits her to remain, let us keep her, assured that He will send
for her use all things needful."
"Most cheerfully will I prolong my daily toil for her sake," replied
Claire; "and cheerfully will I make sacrifice of personal comfort.
Yes, let her remain where she is, so long as, in God's providence, she
is permitted to remain. If Jasper continues to withhold the price of
her maintenance, there will be the more left for her when she becomes
of age; and then, if there are defects in her education, a few years
of earnest application on her part, will remove them. Even now, we
could compel him to pay for her a reasonable sum, but in securing
this, we would assuredly lose the child, for this man's anger would
burn hot against us."
"I have thought of that," replied Edith. "No, our only plain course,
for the present, is to look away from Jasper, and regard Fanny as one
of our own children."
To this conclusion the mind of Claire and his wife came firmly.
Then the painful agitation they had for some time suffered gradually
subsided, and they began earnestly to cast about for the ways and
means whereby so large an extra draft as was likely to be made upon
their slender income could be met.
Two propositions were made by Edith: one was, that they should make a
reduction in their expenses, by moving into a smaller house. They now
paid two hundred dollars annually for rent; and she was sure that, for
one hundred and fifty, they might suit themselves very well. The other
proposition was, to give two or three hours every evening, after
the children were in bed, to fine needle-work, in which she was well
skilled.
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