"Yes, this present life is certainly very pleasant, dear sister," he
resumed, approaching yet nearer to her; and he indeed seemed to find it
so as he contemplated this fair, blooming, delightful young creature.
"We do wisely to enjoy it, and use it as a means to prepare us for the
great hereafter, accomplishing that end all the more effectually when
we love the Lord, and, through Him, one another. Sister Carmen, did
you listen to the beautiful discourse on brotherly and sisterly love
which our honored presbyter gave us to-day?" and the speaker bent his
head so low that she felt his hot breath on her cheek, and his heavy
hand on her shoulder. But quickly turning aside and withdrawing from
his touch, she replied: "Yes, I heard it, and it is indeed a very good
and proper thing to love one another; but I think it is not always love
which is called so, or seems so;" and her mouth twitched with a
repressed smile, as if some secret thought amused her.

"Dear sister, how can you speak thus?" he said. "Men, it is true, are
weak, and often swerve from their duty; but we should help each other
in the spirit of love, so that we may be all united and grow to
resemble each other in character."

"Resemble each other in character!" She repeated his words musingly,
and the gaze from her dark eyes wandered away off, beyond her
companion. "Can we ever do that? God has created us so different; if
He had wished us all to be alike, would He not have made us so?"

The man looked at her earnestly, and an expression of disapproval
passed over his face as he answered: "Any one, to hear you speak in
that way, and not know you as well as I do, would never believe that
you had lived so long among us and were one of us. I have known you
always, ever since you were a wee, toddling thing. It was in Jamaica,