Page:Old ninety-nine's cave.djvu/178

 The doctor left him undisturbed to think it over for a few seconds and then said kindly:

"It is quite impossible for our finite minds to comprehend a plan of which we form an infinitely small part; but the slight glimpse we can get of the universe, wonderful beyond comprehension, ought to make us accept our fate gladly—as we must, blindly."

After the doctor left, Hernando remained standing, the picture of abject misery. Leaning his head against the window he said bitterly,—"And for this I have striven! I, a leper, condemned to cry 'Unclean, unclean!'"

A black hand fell lightly on Hernando's arm and Reuben's low voice said: "God am a bery present frien' in time ob need."

"Oh, for your faith!" Hernando moaned. "Religion is a cold word and means nothing to me."

"An' what am 'ligion, Massa?"

"I don't know."

"Den let me tell yo', Massa: 'Puah 'ligion an' undefiled befo' God an' de fatha am dis,—to visit de fathaless an' wida's in de—in de's