Contents

Translator's Note

Preface

Part I

An Unexpected Letter

Memories

Paula Arrives

Paula's Treasures

Louis' Watch

In the Midst of Darkness

Catalina's Illness

The Five-Franc Piece

A Little Glimpse of Heaven

In the Country

The Cat Mother

A Treasure Restored

The School Teacher and Her Brother

Part II

Some Years Later

The Breton

Saved!

The Young Schoolmistress

The Night School

The House of God

In His Presence

Preface

I hope and trust that the young people who read this book will have as much joy in the reading of it as I have had in its writing.

Paula's Savior wishes to be your Savior, too. Paula was by no means perfect, but she did love God with all her heart and her neighbor as herself.

This simple country girl, young and strong, yet so tender-hearted and forgetful of self, appears to me sometimes like one of the clear brooks of my beloved land-pure and fresh, slipping noiselessly between flowered banks of forget-me-nots. It was by love that she "conquered"-as we shall see!

If some day you should come to my country, do not forget that I would have great joy in seeing any of those who have read this book. I live in the little town of Villar at the bottom of the valley, where on every side there are hills and mountains as far as the eye can reach. To me it is the loveliest country in the world and I am sure that Paula thought so too.

And so goodbye, dear young reader! I must not keep you any longer, for I am sure you have a great desire to know about Paula; and anyway, I suppose you will have done what I would have done at your age, namely, read the story first, and left my poor preface to the last-for which I have already pardoned you!

And now, may God bless you, Paula dear, as you walk among these my young friends who read about you! My prayer is that you may shed over them the same sweet ray of celestial light that you have already shed over others.

Eva Lecomte

Villar-Pellice, France.