He stared at her in astonishment, forgetting Mrs. Gano's saying, "The one Christian tenet I am satisfied Val holds is the doctrine of the Resurrection."
"I thought you said your father talked quite freely to you."
The girl grasped the slender branches of the elder-bush.
"Then there are people, and I know them, who don't believe in immortality."
The world seemed to swim. As she lifted up her dazed eyes, she saw a green-clad figure lingering disconsolately along the brow of the hill. Another instant Julia and she had recognized each other.
"Not to believe in immortality!" she repeated, as though she had never heard of the idea before. "Then, for such people it's all this life—this life. They can't afford to miss anything here; it's their only chance. Do you hear, cousin Ethan? This life—this life may be all."
On an uncontrollable impulse he seized her hand to draw her down beside him.
"Julia's coming," said Val, hurriedly, and advanced to meet her friend.
"Oh, here you are!" called out the new-comer. "I didn't get to church, after all. And I've a message from my father," she said to Ethan, as he came forward. "He wants you to come to supper to-night to meet Senator Green."
When Val and Ethan got home late for dinner, they were met in the hall by Mrs. Gano.