Page:Old ninety-nine's cave.djvu/291

 "I do in very truth, my friend. I know that your prayers in my behalf are answered."

"Yes, Massa, an' I know it too. De good Lord allus ansus 'em. Yo' know what de Good Book says,—'Ask an' yo' shall receive.'"

"I know that," said Eletheer, "but on one condition only are our prayers to be answered, and that is an unreasonable one: 'Believe that you have received it.'"

"Ob co'se, Honey; but to my way ob t'inkin' dat am a bery reasonable condishun, we hab 'received it.' De good Lawd done finished His work. Yo' see, Honey, de p'int am jes' hyah,—we'se sunk in trespass an' sin, got blin' eyes an' deaf ea's. What's de sense in pleadin' an' coaxin' de good Lawd to give us a lot ob t'ings when we aint usin' what we's got?"

"Then," said Eletheer, "when you asked God to cure Hernando, you honestly and truly believed that He would do it?"

"Sho's yo' bo'n I did, Honey."

"I know you did, Reuben, and 'without a doubt in your heart,'" said Hernando.