Turning the leaves of the Book to a familiar passage, Warwick read aloud:
"'The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but of the world.' This girl has no home here. She is of the world."
"Father, ef sister hes no home here, I hav'n't none, either. Ef she must go out into the world, I'll go with her."
The man of God gazed sternly at the rebellious youth. Then he turned to the girl.
"The good Book says, 'A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.'"
Joshua stepped between the two and hid the child from her father.
"Pap, thet book says tough things to-night. The text you preached from to-day was a better one. I remember et, and I'll leave et to you ef I am not right. 'I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep my anger forever.' Thet's a better text, and I takes et, God was in a better humor when He wrote et."
"Joshua!" spoke the father, shocked at his son's irreverence.
"Listen, pap. I hate to say et, but I must. You preached one thing this morning, and you acts another thing now. Didn't you say thet God 'retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy?' I may not hev the words right, but I've got the sense."