"Oh, please don't say that!'
"Why not?" I asked. "It is in the Bible, and a quite common saying."
"I know," she returned, "but I can't bear it - I hate to hear it!"
She would say no more, but my curiosity was stirred, and I set about
persuading her to tell me. "Ah, yes," I said, "I can guess why. It's
something in your past life - a sad story of one of your family - one
very much loved perhaps - who got into trouble and was refused all help
from those who might have saved him."
"No," she said, "it all happened before my time - long before. I never
knew her." And then presently she told me the story.
When her father was a young man he lived and worked with his father, a
farmer in Hampshire and a widower. There were several brothers and
sisters, and one of the sisters, named Eunice, was most loved by all of
them and was her father's favourite on account of her beauty and sweet
disposition.
