Parson Tombs explaining to the Graves
brethren and Sister March that Satan--though sometimes corporeal--and in
that case he might be either unicorporeal or multicorporeal--and at
other times unicorporeal--as he might choose and providence permit--and,
mark you, he might be both at once on occasion--was by no means
omnipresent, but only ubiquitous.

Lazarus supposed a case: "He might be in both these cahs at once an' yet
not on the platfawm between 'em."

"It's mo' than likely!" said the aged pastor, no one meaning anything
sly. Yet to some people a parson's smiling mention of the devil is
always a good joke, and the Graves laughed, as we may say. Not so,
Sister March; she never laughed at the prince of darkness, nor took his
name in vain. She spoke, now, of his "darts."

"No, Sister March, I reckon his darts, fifty times to one, ah turned
aside fum us by the provi_dence_ that's round us, not by the po' little
patchin' o' grace that's in us."

John's heart jumped. Garnet looked in and beckoned him out. He went.

"John "--the voice was tearful--"I offer my hand in penitent gratitude."
John took it. "Yes, my dear boy, my feet had well-nigh slipped."

"I oughtn't to have spoken as I did, Major Garnet."

"It was the word of the Lord, John. It saved me and my spotless name!
The mistake had just begun, in mere play, but it might have grown into
actual sin--of impulse, I mean, of course--not of action; my lifelong
correctness of----"

"Oh, I'm sure of that sir! I only wish _I_----"

"God bless you! I've a good notion to tell your mother this whole thing,
John, just to make her still prouder of you." He squeezed the young
man's hand. "But I reckon for others' sakes we'd better not breathe it."

"O, I think so, sir! I promise----"

"You needn't have promised, John. Your think-so was promise enough. And
a mighty good thing for us all it's so. For, John March, you're the hope
of Suez!

"You've got the key of all our fates in your pocket, John--you and your
mother now, and you when you come into full charge of the estate next
year. That's why Jeff-Jack's always been so willing to help me to help
you on. But never mind that, only--beware of new friends. When they come
fawning on you with offers to help you develop the resources of
Widewood, you tell 'em----"

"That I'm going to develop them myself, alone."

"N-n-no--not quite that. O, you couldn't! You've no idea what a--why, _I_
couldn't do it _with_ you, without Je