She would say no more, but hugged her Wriggly. The Lady had entered and listened with some trepidation to the frank audacity of the children's views. Yet the very essence of faith was in that audacity. It was all so unquestionably real. "Which is strongest, Daddy, God or the Devil?" It was Laddie who was speculating now. "Why, God rules everything, of course." "Then why doesn't He kill the Devil?" "And scalp him?" added Dimples. "That would stop all trouble, wouldn't it, Daddy?" Poor Daddy was rather floored. The Lady came to his help. "If everything was good and easy in this world, then there would be nothing to fight against, and so, Laddie, our characters would never improve." "It would be like a football match with all the players on one side," said Daddy. "If there was nothing bad, then, nothing would be good, for you would have nothing to compare by," added the Lady. "Well, then," said Laddie, with the remorseless logic of childhood, "if that is so, then the Devil is very useful; so he can't be so very bad, after all." "Well, I don't see that," Daddy answered. "Our Army can only show how brave it is by fighting the German Emperor, but that does not prove that the German Emperor is a very nice person, does it now? "Besides," Daddy continued, improving the occasion, "you must not think of the Devil as a person. You must think of all the mean things one could do, and all the dirty things, and all the cruel things, and that is really the Devil you are fighting against. You couldn't call them useful, could you?" The children thought over this for a little. "Daddy," said Laddie, "have _you_ ever seen God?" "No, my boy. But I see His works. I expect that is as near as we can get in this world. Look at all the stars at night, and think of the Power that made them and keeps each in its proper place." "He couldn't keep the shooting stars in their proper place," said Dimples. "I expect He meant them to shoot," said Laddie. "Suppose they all shot, what jolly nights we should have!" cried Dimples. "Yes," said Laddie; "but after one night they would all have gone, and a nice thing then!" "Well, there's always the moon," remarked Dimples. "But, Daddy, is it true that God listens to all we say?" "I don't know about that," Daddy answered, cautiously. You never know into what trap those quick little wits may lead you. The Lady was more rash, or more orthodox. "Yes, dear, He does hear all you say." "Is He listenin' now?" "Yes, dear." "Well, I call it vewy rude of Him!" Daddy smiled, and the Lady gasped. "It isn't rude," said Laddie. "It is His duty, and He _has_ to notice what you are doing and saying. Daddy, did you ever see a fairy?" "No, boy." "I saw one once." Laddie is the very soul of truth, quite painfully truthful in details, so that his quiet remark caused attention. "Tell us about it, dear."