“Don’t you think Papa looks very badly, Isabelle?  And he seems so absent, as if he had something on his mind.  I noticed it long before this happened.”

Isabelle laughed carelessly.  “What a girl you are, Marion!  You are always imagining things about people.  For my part I have too many worries of my own.”

Upstairs Evadne was saying wistfully, “Don’t you think your life should be very precious, Louis, now that two people have died?”

“Two people, Evadne?  I know there was good old Pompey,—­the thought of that haunts me night and day,—­but who else do you mean?”

“Jesus Christ.”

“Oh!”

“Do you never think about him, Louis?”

“My dear coz, I find it wiser not to think.  Every other man you meet holds a different creed, and each one thinks his is the right one.  Why should I set myself up as knowing better than other people?  The only way is to have a sort of nebulous faith.  God will not expect too much of us, if we do the best we can.”

“A ‘nebulous faith’ will not save you, Louis,” Evadne answered sadly.  “God expects us to believe his word when he tells us that he has opened a way for us into the Holiest by the blood of his Son.”

“That atonement theory is an uncanny doctrine.”

“It is the only way by which sinners can be made ‘at one’ with an absolutely holy God.  Jesus said ’And I if I be lifted up ... will draw all men unto me.’  His humanitarianism did not win the hearts of the multitude.  The very men he had fed and healed hounded him on to his cross.”

“It is not philosophical.”

“I read this morning that ’the moving energy in the world’s history to-day is not a philosophy, but a cross.’”

“The God of the present is humanitarianism.”

“Humanitarianism is not Christ.  Paul says—­’Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor ... but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.’  The love which he means is the Christ power, for no mere human love could reach the altitude of the 13th of 1st Corinthians.  Real religion is not a creed, but a Christ.  It seems to me the most important questions we have to answer are, what we think of Christ and what we are going to do with him.

“When Peter gave his answer—­’Thou art the Christ,—­the Anointed One,—­the Son of the living God,—­’ Christ said, ’On this rock—­the faith of thine—­I will build my church.’  Humanitarianism, pure and simple, seems to me but an attempt to imitate Christ.  It is beautiful as far as it goes, but it is not my idea of following him.”

“What is, Evadne?”

“When Jesus told his disciples to follow, he meant them to be with him.  I do not think we can ever hope to be like Christ unless we believe him to be God and walk with him every day.  If we have the spirit of Jesus in our hearts, we shall be model humanitarians, for we shall love our neighbor as ourselves.”

Louis caught her hand in his.  “Begin by loving me!” he cried suddenly.  “I love you, dear!  These long days of watching have taught me that, although I began to suspect it some time ago.  It is no use saying anything,” he went on hurriedly, as Evadne began to protest, “you must be my wife, for I cannot live without you!”