-'most all winter."

"I ought to be"--Diana answered, hesitating.

"Some things folks does because they had ought to," remarked the old
lady, "but bein' happy ain't one of 'em. The whole world had ought to
be happy, if you put it so. The Lord wants 'em to be."

"Not happy"--said Diana hastily.

"Yes. 'Tain't his fault if they ain't."

"How can he want everybody to be happy, when he makes them so unhappy?"

"He?--the Lord? He don't make nobody unhappy, child. How did that git
in your head?"

"Well, it comes to the same thing, Mother Bartlett. He lets things
happen."

"He hain't chained up Satan yet, if that's what you mean. But Satan
can't do no harm to the Lord's children. He's tried, often enough, but
the Lord won't let him."

"But, Mother Bartlett, that's only a way of talking. I don't know if it
is Satan does it, but every sort of terrible thing comes to them. How
can you say it's not evil?"

"'Cause the good Lord turns it to blessing, dear. Or if he don't, it's
'cause they won't let him. O' course it is Satan does it--Satan and his
ministers. 'Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from the
Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of
turning.' How should he be kind to-day and unkind to-morrow?"

Diana could not trust her voice and was silent. The old woman looked at
her, and said in a changed tone presently,

"What's come to you, Diana Masters? You had ought to be the happiest
woman there is livin'."

Diana could not answer.

"_Ain't_ you, dear?" Mrs. Bartlett added tenderly.

"I didn't mean to speak of myself," Diana said, making a tremendous
effort to bring out her words unconcernedly; "but I get utterly puzzled
sometimes, Mother Bartlett, when I see such things happen--such things
as do happen, and to good people too."

"You ain't the fust one that's been puzzled that way," returned the old
woman. "Job was all out in his reckoning once; and David was as stupid
as a beast, he says. But when chillen gets into the dark, they're apt
to run agin sun'thin' and hurt theirselves. Stay in the light, dear."

"How can one, always?"

"O, child, jes' believe the Lord's word. That'll keep you near him; and
there is no darkness where he is."

"What _is_ his word, that I must believe?--about this, I mean."

"That he loves us, dear; loves us tender and true; like you love your
little baby, only a deal more; and truer, and tenderer. For a woman
_may_ forget her sucking ch