The child waited in a large clean room. Ladies in white caps fluttered in and out, and one brought him milk and wonderful things to eat; and later his mother returned with a larger parcel than usual and they left the place behind them. It was not until they were beyond the gates that the child broke his silence, and then he looked round carefully before speaking. “He didn’t look so very glorious,” he said. “Who didn’t?” demanded his mother. “God.” His mother dropped her bundle. Fortunately it was on a soft place. “What maggot has the child got into his head?” she ejaculated. “What do you mean by ‘God’?” “Him,” persisted Anthony. “Isn’t it from him that we get all these good things?” He pointed to the parcel. His mother picked it up. “Who’s been talking to you?” she asked. “I overheard her,” explained the child. “She said it was from God that we got all our good things. Ain’t it?” His mother took him by the hand and they trudged on. She did not answer for a time. “That wasn’t God,” she told him at last. “That was Sir William Coomber. I used to be in service there.” She lapsed into silence again. The bundle seemed heavy. “Of course it is God that gives it us in a manner of speaking,” she explained. “He puts it into Sir William’s heart to be kind and generous.” The child thought a while. “But they’re his things, ain’t they?” he asked. “The other one’s. Sir William’s?” “Yes; but God gave them to him.” It seemed a roundabout business. “Why doesn’t God give us things?” he demanded. “Don’t He like us?” “Oh, I don’t know,” answered the woman. “Don’t ask so many questions.” It was longer, the way home. He offered no protest at being sent to bed early. He dreamed he was wandering to and fro in a vast place, looking for God. Over and over again he thought he saw Him in the distance, but every time he got near to Him it turned out to be Sir William Coomber, who patted him on the head and gave him a shilling. CHAPTER II There was an aunt and uncle. Mr. Joseph Newt, of Moor End Lane, Millsborough, was Mrs. Strong’nth’arm’s only surviving brother. He was married to a woman older than himself. She had been a barmaid, but after her marriage had “got religion,” as they say up North.