Harrington raised her hand to his lips. “I have always tried to believe in God and in His mercy, Miss Alleyne.”
“Not always, Mr. Harrington,” she said softly. “Don't you remember when all the Big Swamp! mob were bogged and dying, that you said that if He would not hear the moans and see the agonies of the beasts He had created, that He would not listen to the prayers of human beings who were not suffering as they suffered? And to-day, as Sandy and I rode along to the Canton Reef, I prayed again and again, and always when I passed a dying beast I said, ' O God! have mercy upon these Thy dumb creatures who suffer much agony! ”
Harrington's chest heaved. “And I prayed as you prayed, Miss Alleyne; but I said, 'O God! if there is a God.'”
She put out her hand to him and her dark eyes filled with tears. “He has answered our prayers.... And now, good night... I wish I could go out into the rain; I feel I could dance for joy.... Mr. Harrington, do let me go to the Canton Reef with you to-morrow. Everything will be all right to-morrow, won't it? But there, how thoughtless I am.... I am going to milk those two cunning cows till they are dry; poor little Harry does so want some fresh milk. Good night, Mr. Harrington; I shall sleep happily to-night—everything will be all right to-morrow.”
At breakfast-time next morning the rain was still falling steadily, and Mrs. Harrington decided to join her husband at the morning meal.
Harrington rode up to the door and smiled brightly at his wife. “Waiting for me, dear? I won't be long. The river is running now, Myra—running after two years! I'm off to Miss Alleyne's reef as soon as I've had a bit of tucker. Where is she?”
“In bed, I presume,” said Mrs. Harrington acidulously. “She might have remembered that I was very much upset last night by that horrible thunder, and have risen earlier and attended to the children.”
A look of intense disgust came over her husband's face.
“Myra, the girl was done-up, dead beat! Won't you go and see if she is able to get up?”
Mrs. Harrington rose stiffly. “Oh, certainly, if you wish it. But I think it is a great mistake. She really ought to have considered the children, and——”