“Men say, ‘We don’t care about being good!’ but God says, ‘I know my own obligations, and you shall not be bad as long as there are any resources left in the Godhead.’ I know that most mothers in my congregation would call me a cruel father after hearing what I just have told you. They would rather have me weak, and love my child less. They would rather their own child should be foul in the soul than be made clean through suffering. But I also know that they do not see how ugly is evil. They are not clean enough themselves to value rightness above rubies! Tell the tale your own way to your workman-friend, and may God help him to understand it!”

“I am glad you spanked the darling,” said Barbara. “I shall love him more than ever.”

“You should see how he loves his father!” said Helen.

Barbara rose to go.

“You’ll be on your watch,” said Wingfold, “for any chance of me serving your mother?”

“I will,” replied Barbara.

The next morning she got on Miss Brown and rode to the forge, where Simon always made her welcome. She knew that Richard was to be there. They left Miss Brown in the smithy and went for a walk together. Barbara was careful to follow the parson’s advice. Their talk was mostly about her life in New Zealand. Now that she knew God more, and believed more in him, she was able to communicate long-vague feelings about her own history with more definite shape. She understood herself better, and was better able to make Richard understand her. And in Richard, by degrees, through the sympathy of affection, was growing the notion of a God whom it would not be hard to believe in. But he had not yet come to long that he should exist, or to desire him. His hour was not yet come. But when the day of darkness arrived, when he knew himself helpless, there would be in his mind a picture of the God to whom he must cry in his trouble—a God whose existence would then be the one desire of his soul.

Naturally his manners were growing more refined from his relations with the gracious, brave, sympathetic, unconventional girl, so strong yet so gentle, so capable in indignation, so full of love. He was gradually developing the pure humanity that lay beneath the artisan. He was, in a word, becoming what in the kingdom of heaven every man must be—a gentleman, because more than a gentleman.