"My poor little girl!" he said soothingly, kissing the bowed head. "She is not herself, Magnus, this morning. Got up with a headache and a white face. I was quite troubled about her. And in some moods the words and imagery of the Bible search out all one's weak spots."
"I do not understand Greek, sir," said Magnus briefly.
"Oh, you do not? Then I should not have made you listen. I beg pardon. This was it,—a grand passage:
"'And there shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him; and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.'"
"But you should not break down there, love. That is all victory."
"She was thinking of those who have not won it, sir," said Magnus.
"Perhaps—dear heart!" said her father. "Well, my boy, never do you be one of those. Fight the good fight, even on the smallest field. 'As a good soldier of Jesus Christ.'"
"I mean it, sir," Magnus answered gravely. "Mr. Erskine, what that girl needs is fresh air. If you will send her off for a good walk with me, I'll find a place in the woods where she can leave her headache. Do you want her to sputter Greek to you any longer?"
"'Sputter Greek!'" Mr. Erskine repeated. "Well, that certainly displays your knowledge of the language. Yes, go, love. I think Magnus is right."
"I know he is, this time," said that young man confidently. "I wish I could stay with you, Mr. Erskine, while she is gone, but then you see she wouldn't go. I'll stay as long as you like when we come back."