certain extent his power ever to be happy again.

Small men, full of petty conceit, can recover from any wounds upon
their vanity, but proud and large-minded men have a self-respect, even
though based upon questionable foundation. It is essential to them,
and losing it they are inwardly wretched. As soldiers carry the
painful scars of some wounds through life, so Mr. Goulden would find
that Laura's words had left a sore place while memory lasted.

Mr. Van Dam quite disarmed Edith's suspicions and prejudices by being
more friendly and intimate with Zell than ever, and the latter was
happy and exultant in the fact, saying, with much elation, that her
friend was "not a mercenary wretch, like Mr. Goulden, but remained
just as true and kind as ever."

It was evident that this attention and show of kindness to the warm-
hearted girl made a deep impression and greatly increased Mr. Van
Dam's power over her. But Edith's suspicion and dislike began to
return as she saw more of the manner and spirit of the man. She
instinctively felt that he was bad and designing.

One day she quite incensed Zell, who was chanting his praises, by
saying:

"I haven't any faith in him. What has he done to show real friendship
for us? He comes here only to amuse himself with you; Gus Elliot is
the only one who has been of any help."

But Edith had her misgivings about Gus also. Now, in her trouble and
poverty, his weakness began to reveal itself in a new and repulsive