“It will be, probably, when it is generally respected.  For the present it wouldn’t be wise to cast it about like pearls before swine.”  Eloise smiled at herself.  “You see I’m talking as if I knew it all.  My wisdom comes partially from what I have extracted from Jewel, and partly from what is obvious.  I haven’t reached the place yet where I am convinced, but this book is wonderfully interesting.  It came to me in the darkest hour I have ever known, and it has—­it has seemed to feed me when I was starving.  I don’t know how else to put it.  I can’t think of anything else.  Mother, why haven’t we a Bible?  I was ashamed when Jewel asked me.”

Mrs. Evringham, astonished and dismayed by her daughter’s earnestness, drew herself up.  “We have a Bible, certainly.  What an idea!”

“Where is it?” eagerly.

“In the storage warehouse with the other books.”

Eloise’s laugh nettled her mother.

“The prayer books are upstairs on my table.  What more do you want if you are going to take an interest in such things?  I wish you would, dear, and embroider an altar cloth while you are here.  I’m sure father would gladly contribute the materials and feel a pride in it.”

“Oh mother,” Eloise still smiled, “you know he never goes to church.”

“But he contributes largely.”

“Well, I haven’t time to embroider altar cloths.  Shall I get the story?”

“Yes, do.  We’ll go around the corner, out of the wind.”

Meanwhile Dr. Ballard’s buggy was covering the ground rapidly.  Through the avenues of the park sped Hector, and joy!  Dr. Ballard allowed Jewel to drive as long as they remained within its precincts.  Slipping his hand through the reins above where she grasped them, he held Anna Belle on his knee.  Jewel had not suspected the size of the park.  One could almost see the watered leaves increase in the sunshine, and the birds were swelling their little throats to the utmost.  The roses in her cheeks deepened in her happy excitement.  She allowed the doctor to do most of the talking, while she kept her eyes on the horse’s ears.  Just once she ventured to turn enough to glance at him.

“I’ve had dreams of driving horses,” she said.

“Is this the first time you’ve done it waking?”

“No, the second.  Father took me once in Washington Park just before he came away, but the horse didn’t pull like this.”  She smiled seraphically.

“So, boy, steady,” said the doctor soothingly, and Hector obeyed the voice.

“Did you play in the Ravine of Happiness when you were a little boy?”

“Where’s that?”

“Where the brook is.”

“Oh yes.  Are you planning to take me to that brook and wet my feet, Jewel?”

“We’ve gone long past it.  Don’t you know?”

“I think my education has been neglected.  I don’t remember it.”

“We can go,” returned Jewel suggestively.