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Rh God, and we cannot gainsay it May He help you to bear it." The familiarity of the action the child shrank from instinctively, but only for a moment, for Allan's face was so full of sympathy, his lips quivered with suppressed emotion, his eyes could not keep back the drops that rose to them, and his voice trembled as he spoke. She drew closer to him, allowed him to take her hand, and wept with a quiet, intense sorrow, speechless and noiseless. Now and then a deep shaking sob went to the hearts of her two living companions, but, alas! nothing could now awaken the sympathy or call forth an effort from one who had been all the world to Amy Staunton.