'Please, please!' she said, in her slightly monotonous voice. 'You promised me you wouldn't any more!'
'Quite right, my dear,' answered Mr. Van Torp, smiling, 'and I apologise. You must make me pay a forfeit every time I do it. What shall the forfeit be? Chocolates?'
She watched his lips, and understood as well as if she had heard.
'No,' she answered demurely. 'You mustn't laugh. When I've done anything wicked and am sorry, I say the little prayer Miss More taught me. Perhaps you'd better learn it too.'
'If you said it for me,' suggested Mr. Van Torp gravely, 'it would be more likely to work.'
'Oh no! That wouldn't do at all! You must say it for yourself. I'll teach it to you if you like. Shall I?'
'What must I say?' asked the financier.
'Well, it's made up for me, you see, and besides, I've shortened it a wee bit. What I say is: "Dear God, please forgive me this time, and make me never want to do it again. Amen." Can you remember that, do you think?'
'I think I could,' said Mr. Van Torp. 'Please forgive me and make me never do it again.'
'Never want to do it again,' corrected little Ida with emphasis. 'You must try not even to want to say dreadful things. And then you must say "Amen." That's important.'