"Have you felt the Tide?"
"I think so."
The old man put his hand upon his son's.
"Let it come, Boy-lad," he said. "Trust it to do the work. All our mistakes are due to the same thing."
"What's that?" asked Ernie.
"Trying to interfere," answered the other. "Follow!—that's our human part."
That evening, after supper, before he left, Ernie asked his mother shyly for some roses. She took him out into the front-garden, tiny as it was trim, and gave him of her best.
Afterwards, as he walked away, she stood at the little gate and watched him, a beautiful look in her eyes. Then she wiped her shoes very carefully, and turned into the house.
The study-door was open, and she peeped in.
Her husband was sitting as always in the bow, looking out towards the trees stirring in the Rectory garden.