"The park?" said Mrs. Ross, turning her liquid gaze to the window. "Yes, it looks inviting this morning. I wonder if we could. I fear George would not like it—he can’t bear me to leave the house; but, really, everything seems very quiet this morning, I don’t see why we shouldn’t go a little way. One does get so tired, as you say, of sitting in the house. It seems strange," she added, smiling, "the park being such an excitement to us. It was positively none when we could go any day, but ’Circumstances alter cases,’ to quote a very trite proverb, and I fear you and I, Nina, are very human, and share the universal longing for what is out of reach." "Yes. Do you know," I replied, laughing, "father never will forbid me anything, because he says he knows I should want to do it immediately?" "What a character you are giving yourself," smiling. "At any rate you are true; and, if you loved, you would be easily guided." "Yes, that is it," I cried. "I would do anything for love’s sake; I love father, and so I would not hurt him for the world; his wishes are my law." "Do you know," said Mrs. Ross, turning her lovely eyes on me with a new expression in their depths, "without meaning it, you have exactly described the relationship which exists between the renewed soul and the Father? I shall never forget that sermon your uncle preached on that subject. ’And because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.’ I don’t know what makes me tell you this, but I have never felt the same since that day." "No one ever does feel the same after meeting Uncle Paul; but the worst of it is I get so naughty again when I am away from him." "So very, very naughty," she said, playfully, "and this is one of your wicked deeds I fear, and I am aiding and abetting you." "You darling," I said, fondly, locking my arms in hers, "I don’t know what I should have done in this place without you; and what a nice morning this is, and how pleasant it is here under the trees." "Yes, but we had better keep the house in view; you see I have the caution which comes with age!"