Bible, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.”  I suddenly realized that that had been made true to me.  I have the witness in my own heart that Christ is the Son of God, my Saviour!  That His Presence is on earth and manifest to me at many times.  No seeming variance of science, no quibble of the intellect, can ever disturb this faith on which my soul rests.  It is more than a conviction; it is a perfect satisfaction!  I KNOW!  I may not be able to explain all mysteries, but I can never doubt again, because I know.  The more I meet with modern skepticism, the more I am convinced that that is the only answer to it all:  “He that doeth His will shall know of the doctrine,” and that promise is fulfilled to all who have the will to believe.

All this came to me quite clearly as I knelt in the church in the sunset, while you were playing—­was it “Rock of Ages"?—­and a ray of the setting sun stole through the old yellow glass of the window in the organ-loft and lay on your hair like a crown, my Bonnie darling!  My heart overflowed with gratitude at the great way life has opened up to me.  That I, the least of His servants, should be honored by the love of this pearl of women!—­

There was more of that letter, and Bonnie sat long on the stump reading and re-reading, with her face a glow of wonder and joy.  But at last she got up and went to the house, bounding into the dining-room where Mother and Father Marshall were pretending to be busy about a lamp that didn’t work right.

Down she sat with her letter and read it—­at least as much as we have read—­to the two sad old dears who were trying so hard to get ready for loneliness.  But after that there was no more sadness in that house!  No more tears nor wistful looks.  Father whistled everywhere he went, till Mother told him he was like a boy again.  Mother sang about her work whenever she was alone.  For why should they be sad any more?  There were good times still going in the world, and they were in them!

“Father!” whispered Mother, softly, that night, when she was supposed to be well on her way toward slumber.  “Do you suppose the Lord heard us grumbling this afternoon, and sent that letter to make us ashamed of ourselves?”

“No,” said Father, tenderly, “I think He just smiled to think what a big surprise He had ready for us.  It doesn’t pay to doubt God; it really doesn’t!”

CHAPTER XXXVI

Pat was out with the ambulance.  He had been taking a convalescent from the hospital down to the station and shipping him home to his good old mother in the country, to be nursed back to health.  Pat often did little things like that that were utterly out of his province, just because he liked to do them.