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your words that I do professionally shut my eyes as far as possible
to all the ugly facts of life； still I have been compelled to note
that the world is full of evils for which I can see no remedy； and
as a matter of common experience they apparently never are remedied。
Good steering and careful seamanship are immensely important； but
of what use are they if one is caught in a tornado or maelstrom； or
wedged in among rocks； so that going to pieces is only a question
of time？ Good seamanship ought to keep one from such a fate； it
may be said。 So it does in the majority of instances； but often
the wisest are caught。 If you will realize it； Miss Burton； all
in this house； men； women； and children； are about as able to take
a ship across the Atlantic； as to make the life voyage wisely and
safely。 As a rule we only sail and sail。 Where we are going； and
what we shall meet； the Lord only knowswe don't。 I have travelled
abroad at times； and have seen a little of society at home； and if
growing selfish； mean； and vicious； is going to the bad； than it
would seem that more find the bottom than any port。〃
〃Oh； hush； Mr。 Van Berg；〃 cried Miss Burton。 〃You will fill the
world with a blind； stupid fate and the best one can hope for is the
rare good luck or the skilful dodging which enables one to escape
the random blows and storms。 I believe in God and law； although
I confess I can understand neither。 As the good Mussulman looks
towards Mecca； so I look toward them and pray and hope on。 This
snarl of life will yet be untangled。〃
〃I assure you that I try to do the same； but not with your success；
I fear。 Your illustration strikes me as unfortunate。 The Moslem
looks toward Mecca； but what is there in Mecca worth looking
toward？ If he only thought so； might he not as well look in any
other direction？〃
〃Please don't talk so； Mr。 Van Berg。 Don't you see that he can't
look in any other direction？ He has been taught to look thither
till it is part of his nature to do so。 In destroying his faith
you may destroy him。 Pardon me； if I ask you to please remember
that faith in God and a future life is more vitally important to
some of us than our daily bread。 We may not be able to explain it；
but we must hope and trust or perish。 To go back to your nautical
illustration； suppose some who had been wrecked were clinging to
a rocky shore； and trying to clamber up out of the cold spray and
surf to warmth and safety； would it not be a cruel thing to go
along the shore and unloosen the poor numb hands however gently and
scientifically it might be done？ Loosing that hold means sinking
to unknown depths。 With complacent self…approval and with learned
Athenian airs； many of the savans of the day are virtually guilty
of this horrible cruelty。〃
〃I do not take sides with the Athenians who called St。 Paul a
babbler；〃 said Van Berg； flushing； 〃yet truth compels me to admit
that I could worship more sincerely at the 'Alter of the unknown
God；' than before any conception of Deity that modern Theology has
presented to my mind。 That does not prove much； I am bound to say；
for I have never given these subjects sufficient attention to be
entitled to have opinions。 Still； I like fair play； whatever be the
consequences。 Your arraignment of talking skeptics is a severe one
and strikes me in a new light。 Might they not urge； in self…defence；
that there was a deeper and darker abyss on the farther side of the
rock to which the wrecked were clinging？ May they not argue that
the grasp of faith may lead to a deeper and more bitter disappointment？〃
〃How can they know that？ How can they know what shall be in the
ages to come？〃 replied Miss Burton； speaking rapidly。 〃This is the
situation：I am clinging to some hope； something that I believe
will be truth which sustains me； and the only force of the skeptic's
words is to loosen my grasp。 No better support is given； no new
hope inspired。 Believe me；〃 she concluded passionately； 〃I would
rather die a thousand deaths by torture than lose my faith that
there is a God who will bring order out of this chaos of broken；
thwarted lives； of which the world is full； and that those who seek
a 'happier shore' will eventually find it。〃
〃You will find it；〃 said Van Berg； in low emphatic tones； and
then he added with a shrug； as he rose from the table； 〃I wish my
chances were as good。〃
Ida； who a few weeks before would have heard this conversation
with unqualified disgust； had listened with eager eyes and parted
lips； and she now said coldly； but with a deep sigh：
〃Your God and happy shore； Miss Burton； are too vague and far away。
Troubles and temptations are in our very hearts。〃
Van Berg looked hastily toward her； but she rose and turned her
face from him。
Mr。 Mayhew shook his head despondently； as if his daughter's words
found a deep； sad echo in his own nature。
〃Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter； said the wise man
of old； 'all is vanity and vexation of spirit；'〃 cried Stanton；
with the air of one who was trying to escape from a nightmare。
Miss Burton at once became her old； smiling self。
〃You do not quote 'the wise man' correctly；〃 she said； 〃but you
remind me that he did say 'a merry heart doeth good like a medicine。'
It is like mercy 'twice blessed。' This much； at least； I know is
true； and Mr。 Van Berg's words have put us all at sea to such an
extant that it is well to find one wee solid point to stand on。〃
As the artist passed out he found opportunity to whisper in her
ear：
〃I cannot tell you how much I honor the woman who with her SAD
heart makes others 'merry。'〃
She blushed and smiled； but only said： 〃How blind you are； Mr。 Van
Berg！ Can't you perceive that nothing else does me so much good？
Now you see how selfish I am。〃
Ida saw him whisper； and noted the answering smile and blush。 Was
it strange that so slight a thing should depress her more than all
the evils of the present world and the world to come？
Surely； since human hearts are what they are； a far…away God would
be like the sun of the tropics to the ice…bound at the poles。
Chapter XXVII。 A Family Group。
The old adage； that 〃as the wine comes in the man steps out；〃 was
not true of Sibley； for the man had stepped out permanently long
since。 But not very much wine was required to overthrow the flimsy
barriers of self…restraint and courtesy that he tried to interpose
in his sober moments between his true self and society。 Mr。 Burleigh
frowned at him more than once during the dinner…hour； and was glad
to see him stroll off in the grounds with his boon companions。
Stanton followed the Mayhews to their rooms； for he wished to
remonstrate with Ida and Mrs。 Mayhew in regard to their apparent
intimacy with the fellow。
〃Ida；〃 he said； 〃do you realized the force of your words to Mr。
Van Berg at the table t