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would or would not do。〃
〃Then I see no reason why you should detain me。Lady Arctura； I did
not offer to give my lesson in the presence of any other than
yourself： I will not do so again。 You will be welcome； for you have
a right to know what I am teaching him。 If you bring another；
except it be my lord Morven； I will take David to my own room。〃
With these words he left them。
Lady Arctura was sorely bewildered。 She could not but feel that her
friend had not shown to the better advantage； and that the behaviour
of Donal had been dignified。 But surely he was very wrong！ what he
said to Davie sounded so very different from what was said at
church； and by her helper； Miss Carmichael！ It was a pity they had
heard so little！ He would have gone on if only Sophy had had
patience and held her peace！ Perhaps he might have spoken better
things if she had not interfered！ It would hardly be fair to
condemn him upon so little！ He had said that he believed every word
of the New Testamentor something very like it！
〃I have heard enough！〃 said Miss Carmichael： 〃I will speak to my
father at once。〃
The next day Donal received a note to the following effect：
〃Sir； in consequence of what I felt bound to report to my father of
the conversation we had yesterday； he desires that you will call
upon him at your earliest convenience He is generally at home from
three to five。 Yours truly； Sophia Agnes Carmichael。〃
To this Donal immediately replied：
〃Madam； notwithstanding the introduction I brought him from another
clergyman； your father declined my acquaintance； passing me
afterwards as one unknown to him。 From this fact； and from the
nature of the report which your behaviour to me yesterday justifies
me in supposing you must have carried to him； I can hardly mistake
his object in wishing to see me。 I will attend the call of no man
to defend my opinions； your father's I have heard almost every
Sunday since I came to the castle； and have been from childhood
familiar with them。 Yours truly； Donal Grant。〃
Not a word more came to him from either of them。 When they happened
to meet； Miss Carmichael took no more notice of him than her father。
But she impressed it upon the mind of her friend that； if unable to
procure his dismission； she ought at least to do what she could to
protect her cousin from the awful consequences of such false
teaching： if she was present； he would not say such things as he
would in her absence； for it was plain he was under restraint with
her！ She might even have some influence with him if she would but
take courage to show him where he was wrong！ Or she might find
things such that her uncle must see the necessity of turning him
away； as the place belonged to her； he would never go dead against
her！ She did not see that that was just the thing to fetter the
action of a delicate…minded girl。
Continually haunted； however； with the feeling that she ought to do
something； lady Arctura felt as if she dared not absent herself from
the lesson； however disagreeable it might prove： that much she could
do！ Upon the next occasion； therefore； she appeared in the
schoolroom at the hour appointed； and with a cold bow took the chair
Donal placed for her。
〃Now； Davie；〃 said Donal； 〃what have you done since our last
lesson？〃
Davie stared。
〃You didn't tell me to do anything； Mr。 Grant！〃
〃No； but what then did I give you the lesson for？ Where is the good
of such a lesson if it makes no difference to you！ What was it I
told you？〃
Davie； who had never thought about it since； the lesson having been
broken off before Donal could bring it to its natural fruit；
considered； and said；
〃That Jesus Christ rose from the dead。〃
〃Wellwhere is the good of knowing that？〃
Davie was silent； he knew no good of knowing it； neither could
imagine any。 The Catechism； of which he had learned about half；
suggested nothing。
〃Come； Davie； I will help you： is Jesus dead； or is he alive？〃
Davie considered。
〃Alive；〃 he answered。
〃What does he do？〃
Davie did not know。
〃What did he die for？〃
Here Davie had an answera cut and dried one：
〃To take away our sins；〃 he said。
〃Then what does he live for？〃
Davie was once more silent。
〃Do you think if a man died for a thing； he would be likely to
forget it the minute he rose again？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Do you not think he would just go on doing the same thing as
before？〃
〃I do； sir。〃
〃Then； as he died to take away our sins； he lives to take them
away！〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃What are sins； Davie？〃
〃Bad things； sir。〃
〃Yes； the bad things we think； and the bad things we feel； and the
bad things we do。 Have you any sins； Davie？〃
〃Yes； I am very wicked。〃
〃Oh！ are you？ How do you know it？〃
〃Arkie told me。〃
〃What is being wicked？〃
〃Doing bad things。〃
〃What bad things do you do？〃
〃I don't know； sir。〃
〃Then you don't know that you are wicked； you only know that Arkie
told you so！〃
Lady Arctura drew herself up； but Donal was too intent to perceive
the offence he had given。
〃I will tell you；〃 Donal went on； 〃something you did wicked to…day。〃
Davie grew rosy red。 〃When we find out one wicked thing we do； it
is a beginning to finding out all the wicked things we do。 Some
people would rather not find them out； but have them hidden from
themselves and from God too。 But let us find them out； everyone of
them； that we may ask Jesus to take them away； and help Jesus to
take them away； by fighting them with all our strength。This
morning you pulled the little pup's ears till he screamed。〃 Davie
hung his head。 〃You stopped a while； and then did it again！ So I
knew it wasn't that you didn't know。 Is that a thing Jesus would
have done when he was a little boy？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because it would have been wrong。〃
〃I suspect； rather； it is because he would have loved the little
pup。 He didn't have to think about its being wrong。 He loves every
kind of living thing。 He wants to take away your sin because he
loves you。 He doesn't merely want to make you not cruel to the
little pup； but to take away the wrong think that doesn't love him。
He wants to make you love every living creature。 Davie； Jesus came
out of the grave to make us good。〃
Tears were flowing down Davie's checks。
〃The lesson 's done； Davie；〃 said Donal； and rose and went； leaving
him with lady Arctura。
But ere he reached the door； he turned with sudden impulse； and
said：
〃Davie； I love Jesus Christ and his Father more than I can tell
youmore than I can put in wordsmore than I can think； and if you
love me you will mind what Jesus tells you。〃
〃What a good man you must be； Mr。 Grant！Mustn't he； Arkie？〃 sobbed
Davie。
Donal laughed。
〃What； Davie！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You think me very good for loving the
only good person in the whole world！ That is very odd！ Why； Davie；
I should be the most contemptible creature； knowing him as I do； not
to love him with all my heartyes； with all the big heart I shall
have one day when he has done making me。〃
〃Is he making you still； Mr。 Grant？ I thought you were grown up！〃
〃Well； I don't think he will make me any taller；〃 answered Donal。
〃But the live part of methe thing I love you with； the thing I
think about God with； the thing I love poetry with； the thing I read
the Bible withthat thing God keeps on making bigger and bigger。 I
do not know where it will stop； I only know where it will not stop。
That thing is me； and God will keep on making it bigger to all
eternity； though he has not even got it into the right shape yet。〃
〃Why is he so long about it？〃
〃I don't think he is long about it； but he could do it quicker if I
were as good as by this time I ought to be； with the father and
mother I have； and all my long hours on the hillsides with my New
Testament and the sheep。 I prayed to God on the hill and in the
fields； and he heard me； Davie； and made me see the foolishness of
many things； and the grandeur and beauty of other things。 Davie；
God wants to give you the whole world； and everything in it。 When
you have begun to do the things Jesus tells you； then you will be my
brother； and we shall both be his little brothers； and the sons of
his Father God； and so the heirs of all things。〃
With that he turned again and went。
The tears were rolling down Arctura's face without her being aware
of it。
〃He is a well…meaning man；〃 she said to herself； 〃but dreadfully
mistaken： the Bible says believe； not do！〃
The poor girl； though she read her bible regularly； was so blinded
by the dust and ashes of her teaching； that she knew very little of
what was actually in it。 The most significant things slipped from
her as if they were merest words without shadow of meaning or
intent： they did not support the doctrines she had been taught； and
therefore said nothing to her。 The story of Christ and the appeals
of those who had handled the Word of Life had another end in view
than making people understand how God arranged matters to save them。
God would have us live： if we live we cannot but know； all the
knowledge in the universe could not make us live。 Obedience is the
road to all