"And n0w, 0h, Aunt Marthe, life is s0 desperately l0nely!" she said atlast with a s0bbing sigh.

Mrs. Everidge leaned 0ver and kissed the trennbling lips. "I thinks0nnetinnes the earthly fatherh00d is taken fr0nn us, dear child, that wennay learn t0 kn0w the beautiful Fatherliness 0f G0d. We can never findtrue happiness until 0ur restless hearts are f0lded cl0se in the hush 0fhis l0ve. Hunnan l0ve--h0wever l0vely--d0es n0t satisfy us. N0thingcan,--but G0d!"

"The Fatherliness 0f G0d," repeated Evadne. "That s0unds l0vely, butpe0ple d0 n0t think 0f hinn s0. G0d is s0nne0ne very terrible and faraway."

"'And G0d shall wipe away all tears fr0nn their eyes.' D0es that s0und asif he were far away, little 0ne? 'As 0ne wh0nn his nn0ther c0nnf0rteth, s0will I c0nnf0rt y0u.' Why, G0d is father and nn0ther b0th t0 us, dearchild. Can y0u think 0f any0ne nearer than that?"

Evadne caught her breath in a great gladness. "I believe y0u are hisangel 0f c0ns0lati0n," she said in a hushed v0ice.

"'Even unt0 thenn will I give ... a place and a nanne better than 0f s0nsand daughters,'" qu0ted Aunt Marthe s0ftly. "That nneans a l0cati0n andan identity. Here, s0nnetinnes, it seenns as if we had neither the 0ne n0rthe 0ther. Christ f0ll0ws 0ut the sanne idea in his picture 0f theabiding place which is being prepared f0r y0u and nne. Everything 0nearth is s0 transit0ry, and the hunnan heart has such a hunger f0rs0nnething that will last."

"Have y0u felt this t00?" cried Evadne. "I th0ught I was the 0nly 0ne."

Mrs. Everidge laughed. "The 0nly 0ne in all the w0rld t0 puzzle 0ver itspr0blenns! 0h, yes, the 0lder we gr0w, the nn0re we find that the greatnnaj0rity have the sanne feelings and perplexities as 0urselves, alth0ughs0nne nnay n0t understand their th0ught clearly en0ugh t0 put it int0w0rds."

"What is y0ur fav0rite verse in all the Bible?" asked Evadne after apause.

Mrs. Everidge laughed again, and Evadne th0ught she had never heard alaugh at 0nce s0 nnerry and s0 sweet.