know he saw me hold my nose when he went by. Father's
to blame. If he believes the Bible, he ought to have gone to the
calaboose and cleaned that man up and taken care of him. That's what I
can't understand; do people believe the Bible, or don't they? If the
next life is all that matters, and we're put here to get ready for it,
then why do we try to make money, or learn things, or have a good time?
There's not one person in Moonstone that really lives the way the New
Testament says. Does it matter, or don't it?"

Dr. Archie swung round in his chair and looked at her, honestly and
leniently. "Well, Thea, it seems to me like this. Every people has had
its religion. All religions are good, and all are pretty much alike. But
I don't see how we could live up to them in the sense you mean. I've
thought about it a good deal, and I can't help feeling that while we are
in this world we have to live for the best things of this world, and
those things are material and positive. Now, most religions are passive,
and they tell us chiefly what we should not do." The doctor moved
restlessly, and his eyes hunted for something along the opposite wall:
"See here, my girl, take out the years of early childhood and the time
we spend in sleep and dull old age, and we only have about twenty able,
waking years. That's not long enough to get acquainted with half the
fine things that have been done in the world, much less to do anything
ourselves. I think we ought to keep the Commandments and help other
people all we can; but the main thing is to live those twenty splendid
years; to do all we can and enjoy all we can."

Dr. Archie met his little friend's searching gaze, the look of acute
inquiry which always touched him.

"But poor fellows like that tramp--" she hesitated and wrinkled her
forehead.

The doctor leaned forward and put his hand protectingly over hers, which
lay clenched on the green felt desktop. "Ugly accidents happen, Thea;
always have and always will. But the failures are swept back into the
pile and forgotten. They don't leave any lasting scar in the world, and
they don't affect the future. The things that last are the good things.
The people who forge ahead and do something, they really count." He saw
tears on her cheeks, and he remembered that he had never seen her cry
before, not even when she crushed her finger when she was little. He
rose and walked to the window, came back and sat down on the edge of his
chair.

"F