“Armie,” said Babie, “is mother unhappy because she has got rich?”
Armine hesitated. His brief experience of school had made him less unsophisticated, and he seldom talked in his own peculiar fashion even to his little sister, and she added—
“Must people get wicked when they are rich?”
“Mother is always good,” said faithful little Armine.
“The rich people in the Bible were all bad,” pondered Babie. “There was Dives, and the man with the barns.”
“Yes,” said Armine; “but there were good ones too—Abraham and Solomon.”
“Solomon was not always good,” said Babie; “and Uncle Robert told Allen it was a fearful responsibility. What is a responsibility, Armie? I am sure Ali didn’t like it.”
“Something to answer for!” said Armine.
“To who?” asked the little girl.
“To God,” said the boy reverently. “It’s like the talent in the parable. One has got to do something for God with it, and then it won’t turn to harm.”