“You say, Doctor,” answered Ernest, “that these things happened at the right time. Suppose this deliverance had occurred earlier, what difference would it have made?”
“We do not understand all God’s ways and purposes,” replied the Doctor; “but granting that this deliverance had occurred two or three days earlier, you would not have been present to give your assistance. Then suppose Mildred had tried to make her way alone, she might have been re-captured by that vidette you told us about. I do not see how you can fail to recognize divine providence in all this.”
“I do recognize it fully,” replied Ernest. “You must not think, Doctor, that I am disposed to doubt a supernatural providence. One reason why I asked the question which I did was to get your views. I wanted to hear you point out the particulars as you have done. I am glad to say that this severe trial has proved beneficial to me. I do not think I will ever again be as skeptical as I have been. I have had a lesson.”
“Let it be a lesson to us all,” answered the Doctor, “ever to have implicit faith in God.”
The next day Ernest requested a private interview with the Doctor. They met in the study, and Ernest said:
“I must return soon to the army, and, to make a long story short, I have come to ask you to perform the marriage ceremony for me and Mildred to-day.”
“To-day!” exclaimed the Doctor in surprise.
“Yes, sir; why not?”
“I do not suppose she is ready,” said the Doctor.