Philip only nodded his head without speaking.
“You mustn’t think of it too much just now. Just forget about it and when you’re rested and better everything will come out all right.”
Then Philip spoke. “I’m not going back.”
But Uncle Elmer pondered this, still humoring him as if he were delirious or mad.
“Of course, it’s a matter of time and rest. I’ve always felt toward you as I would toward my own son—if I had one.” (Here Aunt Mabelle bridled and preened herself as if flattered by being noticed at last, even by implication.) “I’m thinking only of your own good.”
“I’m not going back,” repeated Philip dully.
The singsong voice of Uncle Elmer went on: “Of course, once you’ve had the call—there’s no mistake. You can’t turn back from the Lord once you’ve heard the call.”
“I never had the call.”
“What do you mean? You can’t imagine a thing like that. Nobody ever imagined he heard the Lord calling him.”
“It’s true, though—I must have imagined it.”