"_I _enjoy myself--" said Mr. Linden smiling a little. "What think you makes the lark fly circling up into the very sunbeams, singing as lie goes?--is it duty? is it to rise above the robins and sparrows?" "I don't understand you!" said Miss Essie respectfully. "That is just the inner life of many a Christian,--his very heart-cry is, 'Nearer, my God, to thee! Nearer to thee! E'en though it be a cross, That raiseth me!'--" "Well, you think nobody can be safe that don't live just so?" persisted Miss Essie. "In whom such a life is not at least begun?--How can it be, Miss Essie? Safe? without the blessing of God?" "Well there we differ," said the lady. "That's what I mean by being rigidly righteous. I think every one must judge for himself." A little more erect Mr. Linden stood, drawing himself up slightly--it was his wont sometimes under a touch of excitement, and spoke with his deep emphasis these words-- "'This is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.'--Miss Essie, where is your permit for free judgment against the Bible?" "I didn't mean _that_," said Miss Essie, lowering her crest. "But I mean that everybody can't be good after your strict way." "I am not standing up for myself, you know," said he pleasantly, "nor denying that you have described me right; but what a follower of Christ _ought_ to be, is no more rigid than sunlight--or than the wings of angels. Yet both sun and angels 'always do his commandment' who made them both." "Oh people can't be sunlight--nor angels neither, in this world. You're Utopian! That's what I said." "They can be 'burning and shining lights,'" said Mr. Linden. "Miss Essie, will you gainsay the Bible? Why can they not?" "They _can_ be--but I suppose they aren't obliged to be; or what is to become of us all?" said Miss Essie, half seriously half defiantly. "That will depend upon whom we follow," he answered gravely. "Well now, Mr. Linden, how many people in the world are 'followers' in the way you have described them?--and are all the rest going to destruction? Take the people in this room now, for instance,--boys and all here's twenty of us perhaps. How many do you suppose are here of your way of 'following'? You're one--who's another? Stand off there, and see whom you can get to join you!" "Stand off and say with Moses--'who is on the Lord's side?'--there would be several, Miss Essie." "Well count up," said Miss Essie. "I suppose they have no objection to shew themselves. You are one--who's another?" "I am another," said Faith, rising and setting down her ice cream. "You!"--said Miss Essie turning the black eyes upon her,--"you look like it, child!" "You must put the 'rigid' out of your head," Mr. Linden said, with a smile which changed as he spoke.