"I refused to remove my hat in the presence of the king, or the Duke of York, his brother; but it was a sore grief and pain to me, because the admiral, my father, saw in it so much of disrespect and want of loyalty that it well-nigh broke his heart, and he banished me from my home because of it." "Ay, thou hast suffered for the truth, friend," said the old man, lifting his hat for a moment to scratch his bald head, but carefully replacing it again as he turned to Bessie and said, "William Penn hath good hope that he may be able to help thy mother and father, and thee also. Thy father is still in Newgate, and is like to stay there until a convict ship is sent out to the plantations in the spring. Should it carry many Quakers, Friend Penn or some other trusty man will go by another ship that will sail faster, so as to reach the port before the convict vessel, and there buy each Friend that is offered for sale. He is already in treaty with the king for a tract of country where a colony could be established, far enough from any other settlement to secure to us the right of worshipping God according to the guidance of the inner light, without let or hindrance from any man." Bessie's eyes slowly filled with tears of joy at the anticipation, and she clasped her hands as she said fervently— "It will be as the kingdom of heaven come down to earth, an the Friends may serve God and live as they desire." [Illustration] "Nay, nay, I am not so sure of that," said Sir William Penn with a smile. "We are not perfect, although we are striving to learn the way of perfection as the inner light guides us. Still, for thee and thine it will be a blessed change, for ye have been so harried and tormented for the truth's sake, that to be able to abide in peace will seem as heaven to thee at first." "Nay, not at first only," said Bessie with trembling earnestness; "think what it will be to dwell with my mother and father again, to comfort them for all the woes they have endured at this time of sore affliction and travail." "Ay, and thou hast earned the right to comfort thy mother and father," said the old man, "for thou hast done what thou couldest for those who befriended thee in thy time of trouble. If thou hadst been content to idly bemoan thy lot instead of doing that which lay nearest to thine hand, the burden upon our Society at this time would have been almost greater than could be borne. But now thou canst do so much to the finishing of the hats that there is little fear Friend Drayton's business will fail to bear all the expense of the family, the charges he may be at for gaolers' fees and what not, while he is in prison. Thou art a right worthy daughter of a brave father," concluded the old man; and then he related to Sir William what he had heard from the workman who had undertaken to manage the hatter's business during his absence.