CHAPTER XIII
COMRADES
"Clara, what _is_ the matter with you? You seem to be always frettingabout something lately. Now I really must know. Is there anything wrongat your home?"
"No--o," comes in muffled tones from Clara. She has her head turnedaway, and takes care Betty shall not catch a glimpse of her face.
Betty steps quickly across the kitchen, and lays a hand on the girl'sshoulder. It quivers under her touch; yes, Clara is certainly crying.
"Clara, you must tell me what it is. I can't have you going about thehouse with this miserable face--just when you were beginning to get onso much better, too."
"Beginning to get on better! O miss that's just where it is!" criesClara, with a sudden burst of tears. "I _can't_ get on better. I try andtry, and make no end of good resolutions--cart-loads of them--and thenI go and break them all again directly. Seems as though my head was nobetter than a sieve--I can't remember; it's of no use--Oh, Oh, Oh!"
"Clara, Clara, don't, there's a dear girl. And you have been doingbetter--ever so much; father was saying so to me only yesterday."
"But you don't know how hard it is--you don't know how dreadfully Iforget; and then I think, 'Oh, what's the use of trying? I'd far bettergive it all up, and just muddle along as I used to do.'"
But Betty thinks, "Ah, that's just how it used to be with me, before Iwent to Grannie's, before I went to The Army Meetings near Grannie'shome, and gave my heart to God. I have felt like that sometimes since;but only for a little while, for the Lord has always helped me throughthe bad times. It is only the Lord who _can_ help us through. I ought totell Clara that--I _must_ tell her!"
There is a moment's pause. Betty is nervous, and doesn't know how tobegin. She makes an effort.
"Clara," she says softly. "Clara, have you ever tried to understandthose words in the Bible, '_Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whosemind is stayed on Thee_'?"
Clara looks up suddenly; her eyes round with wonder. "Why, Miss Betty,whatever do you mean?"
Betty makes a greater effort. "I used to feel as you do," she says. "Iused to find I couldn't keep the good resolutions I made; I used to fallinto dreadful fits of hopelessness, of wanting to give up trying anymore; and then I went to Grannie's--my Grannie is a Salvationist, youknow--and she took me to The Army Meetings. And one night, all of asudden, I saw quite clearly how wrong I had been. I had been trying tolive a good life, trusting in my own strength; and no one can do that.It is only by coming to the Lord Jesus that we can be truly good; for itis only Jesus who can wash our sins away, and change our hearts, andmake us like Himself."
There is another silence. Clara has taken up a corner of her apron, andis picking at it industriously.
"You think, miss," she says, nervously, after a while, "that--that if Iwent to The Army Meetings I might find it easier to do right?"
"I'm quite sure of it, Clara! O Clara, pray for a changed heart, ask forit, claim it! With the Lord for your Saviour, you'll soon conquer allthe little difficulties that distress you now." Betty is nervous nolonger. She has broken the ice and her words flow freely.
"And, Clara, salvation gives you such a lovely kind of happiness--Ican't explain it--but very often you'll feel just the happiest girl inthe whole world. How can people help being happy when they know they areon the Lord's side, when they know that He saves them, and loves them,and will take them to live with Him at last?
"There--there, I must go now, Lucy needs her dinner; but, Oh! Clara, dothink of what I've said; do pray about it; do ask the Lord to show youwhat to do."
* * * * *
"She--she knows _you_, miss," says Clara softly.
Betty looks up from the toast she is making for Lucy's tea. Some timehas passed, and Lucy is almost well again, but Betty insists on waitingupon her as much as ever.
"Who knows me?" she asks. "What are you talking about, Clara?"
"The--the Captain," answers Clara, shyly. A light breaks over Betty'smind.
"You mean my dear Captain! I'm so glad--so very glad--and so you'regoing to the Meetings regularly?"
"Yes, miss."
"Isn't Captain Scott sweet; isn't she just like one of the Lord's ownangel messengers!" cries Betty enthusiastically.
"Yes, miss."
"And she's helped you already, Clara; you're feeling ever so muchhappier--I can tell that by your voice."
Clara turns slowly round, and points to an Army shield of silver,showing white against her dark dress. What a changed Clara! The tousledhair is smooth enough now under the neat cap, the dress is tidy, theapron clean. But it is not at hair or at dress that Betty is looking,not even at the shield-brooch. No, it is on the smiling face that Bettyfixes her eyes.
For the old, sullen, discontented expression has gone, and the plainlittle face is so bright with joy and triumph that it is sweet to lookupon.
What a changed Clara!]
"Clara!" she cries, and drops the toast, and throws her arms round thelittle servant's neck. "So we're both Soldiers now--we're comrades," shewhispers. "Ah, you know now just the difference salvation canmake--don't you, Clara?"
"Oh, yes, miss indeed I do!"
"God bless you, Clara!"
"God bless you, miss! it was all through you," whispers Clara, shyly.