after you had come in and gotten well acquainted with our denomination
you would discover we are not far apart after all."

"Oh, Mr. Sterling, how can you talk in that fashion? I like a person who
believes something, and though I may not agree with him, I can respect
him for his convictions."

"That's a straight thrust you are giving me, and I guess I deserve it,
but it was the thought of the fair recruit for our ranks that got my
logic and my Presbyterianism into a mixup. So if I was guilty of
inconsistency I must blame my accuser. But seriously, it looks as if you
are shut up to joining the Baptists."

"No, Mr. Sterling, I do not have to join any denomination unless my
convictions lead me to them. But why do you keep mentioning the
Baptists? Are my beliefs nearer to theirs than to those of any other
denomination?"

"Oh, no; I was joking that time. You do not believe as they do. Please
consider them out of the question."

"Mr. Sterling, you make me curious to know what these Baptists do
believe. Could we not get the pastor to explain their doctrines?"

"Miss Dorothy, that is not at all necessary," with a show of impatience.
"I can give you their views. It is true they believe in immersion, but
they have a horrible view about it. They believe that unless you are
dipped you are doomed. They think infant baptism was born in the lower
regions, and as for the communion they are as close as a clam, and in
addition to this they have achieved brilliant success in the matter of
ignorance and bigotry."

"Daughter," said Mr. Page with much earnestness, "keep on the other side
of the road from that gang. There are some things that a father knows
better than a daughter."

"Father, you would not object to my hearing a Baptist preacher tell
what his denomination believes, would you?"

It occurred to the father that that would be the quickest plan for
curing Dorothy of any curiosity she might have about the Baptists. He
thought that a sight of that preacher would show her the impossibility
of her linking herself with his people, and so he said:

"Yes, daughter, that will be all right. Hear the preacher. Let us all
hear him and get his side of the question."

"Mr. Page," said Sterling, "I think it would be humiliating to you and
your family to be entering into negotiations with that preacher about
the views of his sect."

"Mercy, are they so very terrible?" asked Dorothy.

"They are not a wicked people, so far as I kn