variableness, neither shadow of turning."

The date was sixteen years back, but the tablet was comparatively new,
and could not have been up more than six years at the outside. Erica was
able partly to understand why Donovan had chosen for it that particular
text, and nothing could more effectually have counteracted Mr.
Cuthbert's sermon than the thoughts which it awoke in her.

Nevertheless, she did not quite get over the ruffled feeling, which was
now in a great measure physical, and it was with a sense of relief that
she found herself again in the open air, in the warmth, and sunshine,
and gladness of the September day. Donovan did not say a word. They
passed through the little church yard, and walked slowly up the
winding lane; the children, who had stopped to gather a fine cluster
of blackberries, were close behind them. In the silence, every word of
their talk could be distinctly heard.

"I don't like God!" exclaimed Ralph, abruptly.

"Oh, you naughty!" exclaimed Dolly, much shocked.

"No, it isn't naughty. I don't think He's good. Why, do you think father
would let us be shut up in a horrid place for always and always? Course
he wouldn't. I 'spects if we'd got to go, he'd come, too."

Donovan and Erica looked at each other. Donovan turned round, and held
out his hand, at which both children rushed.

"Ralph," he said, "if any one told you that I might some day leave off
loving you, leave off being your father what would you do?"

"I'd knock them down!" said Ralph, clinching his small fist.

Donovan laughed a little, but did not then attempt to prove the
questionable wisdom of such a proceeding.

"Why would you feel inclined to knock them down?" he asked.

"Because it would be a wicked lie!" cried Ralph. "Because I know you
never could, father."

"You are quite right. Of course I never could. You would never believe
any one who told you that I could, because you would know it was
impossible. But just now you believed what some one said about God,
though you wouldn't have believed it of me. Never believe anything which
contradicts 'Our Father.' It will be our father punishing us now and
hereafter, and you may be sure that He will do the best possible for all
His children. You are quite sure that I should only punish you to do you
good, and how much more sure may you be that God, who loves you so much
more, will do the same, and will never give you up."

Ralph looked hard at his bunch of blackber