"Yes," sighed Father Van Hove. "I learned it too, and surely nonation can have anything against us! We have given no one causefor complaint that I know of."

"It's nonsense," exclaimed his wife with decision. "Belgium is safeenough so far as that goes, but one certainly has to work hardhere just to make ends meet and get food for all the hungrymouths! They say it is different in America; there you work lessand get more, and are farther away from meddlesome neighboringcountries besides. I sometimes wish we had gone there with mysister. She and her husband started with no more than we have,and now they are rich--at least they were when I last heard fromthem; but that was a long time ago," she finished.