Esther placed her own cool hand on the sick girl's forehead, and spoke to her in low, soothing tones. Carla grasped her hand and held it tightly. "I have wanted to see you and tell you--" But Esther interrupted her. "Yes, dear, you shall tell me by and by. Don't try to tell me now." "I must. The distress here" (placing her hand over her heart) "will never go until I tell you. After I left you at the schoolhouse, I was filled with despair. I felt so utterly strengthless. Then I prayed. Suddenly it came to me I must never again return to the saloon or--him. I seemed to have strength given me to go on and on in the opposite direction. All I remember now is that I resolved to make it impossible to return. Then I awakened here. They have been so kind to me, especially little Brigham. He comes in to see me as soon as he returns from school, and talks to me about you, and it comforts me." "God has been leading you, Carla," said Esther. "I am sure of that. And He raised up this kind friend to save you in your dark hour. But the dark hour is past now, and we are going to help you learn how to grow happy." "Can one learn how to grow happy who has made such a blunder of life?" "Oh, yes. And it is a blessed lesson to learn." When Esther left, she promised to return on the morrow. That evening, there was a family council at Clayton Ranch, and the result of it was that Mrs. Clayton herself soon went to see Carla, and invited her to make her home with them. So it came about that Carla Earle became one of the Clayton household; and in the loving, helpful atmosphere of that home, she began to lift up her lovely head, as does an early blossoming flower in the April sunshine after it has been nipped by an untimely frost. And life, with love enfolding her every hour of each happy day, began to grow worth while to the English girl. And Carla grew into the affection of the family, for she was a refined, winsome creature. She became as a daughter to Mrs. Clayton. One day Mrs. Clayton said to her husband: "Do you notice how much Carla is growing like our Miss Bright?" "Yes," he responded. "There is something very attractive about both. Only Miss Bright is a remarkably well-poised woman, and Carla is clinging and dependent. Poor Carla! How bitterly she has been wronged! I am glad she has found love and shelter at last." "So am I, John. Why, the poor child was just starved for love." "I believe, Mary, that she will develop into a strong character. What she has suffered has been a great lesson to her." "Poor child! Sometimes when I speak appreciative words to her, she breaks down, and says she doesn't deserve all our kindness. One day when she cried, she said, 'Why does God take mothers away from their children when they need them so?'" "Well," he responded, "she has at last found a good mother. God bless the mother and the unfortunate girl!" And stooping, the husband kissed his wife, and started on a long journey to a distant mine. CHAPTER XI