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 blackberries, and was silent. Many thoughts were working in his childish brain. Presently he said, meditatively:
“He did shout it out so loud and horrid! I s'pose he had forgotten about 'Our Father.' But, you see, Dolly, it was all a mistake. Come along, let's race down the drive.”
Off they ran. Erica fancied that Donovan watched them rather sadly.