He thought a while.
"No," said he finally, "it is not necessary always to tell all the truth; but never tell anything that isn't the truth."
"Never?"
"Never."
"Even if it hurts me?"
"Even if it hurts. God is good, He will not let it hurt much."
"He's a fair God, ain't He?" she mused, scanning the evening sky.
"Yes—He's fair, He wouldn't take advantage of a little girl that did wrong, when she didn't know it was wrong."
Her face lightened and she held his hands in both hers, and said solemnly as though saying a prayer:
"I won't lie any more, and I won't steal—and—" she looked at him in startled wistfulness—he remembered it in after years; but he felt he had preached enough.