But she does not know so much about God as I do, or she would never say such things of him: we must talk about him more after this!" "No, no, please, Mr.Grant! We won't say a word about him, for Arkie says except you promise never to speak of God, she will tell papa, and he will send you away." "Davie," said Donal with solemnity, "I would not give such a promise for the castle and all it contains--no, not to save your life and the life of everybody in it! For Jesus says, 'Whosoever denieth me before men, him will I deny before my father in heaven;' and rather than that, I would jump from the top of the castle.

Why, Davie! would a man deny his own father or mother ?" "I don't know," answered Davie; "I don't remember my mother." "I'll tell you what," said Donal, with sudden inspiration: "I will promise not to speak about God at any other time, if she will promise to sit by when I do speak of him--say once a week .-- Perhaps we shall do what he tells us all the better that we don't talk so much about him!" "Oh, thank you, Mr.Grant!--I will tell her," cried Davie, jumping up relieved.

"Oh, thank you, Mr.Grant!" he repeated; "I could not bear you to go away.

I should never stop crying if you did.

And you won't say any wicked things, will you?
for Arkie reads her Bible every day." "So do I, Davie." "Do you ?" returned Davie, "I'll tell her that too, and then she will see she must have been mistaken." He hurried to his cousin with Donal's suggestion.
It threw her into no small perplexity--first from doubt as to the propriety of the thing proposed, next because of the awkwardness of it, then from a sudden fear lest his specious tongue should lead herself into the bypaths of doubt, and to the castle of Giant Despair--at which, indeed, it was a gracious wonder she had not arrived ere now.
What if she should be persuaded of things which it was impossible to believe and be saved! She did not see that such belief as she desired to have was in itself essential damnation.