""What do you see?" asked the little girl.
""A great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns!" answered the man, and he pulled on her again, to go back with him.
""Dear me," said Purity, "is that old make-believe thing ground here, trying to cheat you? I"ve heard about it."
""It would make anybody afraid," said the man. "It has seven heads and it could eat us up with any one of them."
""Yes, it could, if it was there," said Purity, "but there isn"t any such thing, to _be_ there. The King of the country is all-powerful and He knows we"re coming, and He _wants_ us to come. Hasn"t He taken care of us all the way and helped us over every hard place? Shouldn"t you think you"d _know_ by this time that we"re being taken care of?"
""Oh, dear!" said the man, "I shall never see the Heavenly Country, nor the castle, nor know what true delight is; for no one could get by that dragon!"
"Purity felt bad because his face was the sorriest that you ever saw, and his voice sounded full of crying. So she put her arms around him. "Now don"t you feel that way;" she said, "everything is just as happy as it was before. There isn"t any dragon there. Tell me where you see him."
"So the man pointed to the foot of a great tree close by.
""All right," said Purity, "I"ll go and stand right in front of that tree until you get "way out of the woods, and then I"ll run and catch up with you."
"The man stooped down and put his arms around the girl just as lovingly as if she was his own little grandchild.
""I can"t do that," he said; "I"d rather the dragon would eat me up than you. You run, Purity, and I"ll stay; and when he tries to catch you, I"ll throw myself in front of him. But kiss me once, dear, because we"ve been very happy together."
"Purity kissed him over and over again because she was so happy about his goodness, and she saw the tears in his eyes, that are the kind that make people see better. She _knew_ what the man was going to see when he stood up again."
The story-teller paused a moment, but no one spoke, although she looked at each one questioningly; so she continued:--
"Well, he was the most _surprised_ man when he got up and looked around.
""The dragon has gone!" he said.
""No, he hasn"t," said Purity, and she just hopped up and down, she was so glad. "He hasn"t gone, because he wasn"t there!"
""He _isn"t_ there!" said the man, over and over. "He _isn"t_ there!" and he looked so happy--oh, as happy as if it was his birthday or something.
"So they walked along out into the sunshine again, and sweeter flowers than ever were growing all around them, and a bird that was near began singing a new song that the man had never heard.
"There was a lovely green mountain ahead of them now. "Purity," said the man, for something suddenly came into his head, "is this the Heavenly Country?"
""Yes," said Purity, and she clapped her hands for joy because the man knew it was.
"They walked along and the bird"s notes were louder and sweeter. "I _think_, said the man softly, "I think he is singing the song of true delight."
""He is," said Purity.
"So, when they had walked a little farther still, they began to see a splendid castle at the foot of the mountain.
""Oh," said the man, just as happily as anything, "is that home at _last_!"
""Yes," said Purity, "it is the Castle of True Delight."
"The man felt young and strong and he walked so fast the little girl had to skip along to keep up with him, and the bird flew around their heads and sang "Love, love, love; _true_ delight, _true_ delight," just as _plain_."
Jewel gave the bird-song realistically, then she unclasped her hands.
"Mother," she said, turning to Mrs. Evringham, "now you finish the story.
Will you?"
"Yes, indeed, I know the rest," returned Mrs. Evringham quietly, and she took up the thread:--
"As the man and Purity drew near to the great gates before the castle, these flew open of their own accord, and the travelers entered. Drawing near the velvet green of the terraces, a curious familiarity in the fair scene suddenly impressed the man. He stared, then frowned, then smiled. A great light streamed across his mind.
""Purity," he asked slowly, "is this my castle?"
""Yes," she answered, watching him with eyes full of happiness.
""And will you live with me here, my precious child?"
""Always. The great King wills it so."
""But what--where--where is the Valley of Vain Regret?"
"Purity shook her head and her clear eyes smiled. "There is no Valley of Vain Regret," she answered.
""But I lived in it," said the man.
""Yes, before you knew the King, our Father. There is no vain regret for the King"s child."
""Then I--I, too, am the King"s child?" asked the man, his face amazed but radiant, for he began to understand a great many things.
""You, too," returned Purity, and she nestled to him and he held her close while the bird hovered above their heads and sang with clear sweetness, "Love, love, love; true delight, true, true, _true_ delight.""
The story-teller ceased. Jewel saw that the tale was finished. She jumped up from the ha.s.sock and clapped her hands. Then she ran to Mr. Evringham and climbed into his lap. It was so dark now on the veranda that she could scarcely see his face. But he put his arms around her and gathered her to her customary resting place on his shoulder. "Wasn"t that _lovely_, grandpa? Did you think your story was going to end that way?"
He stroked her flaxen hair in silence for a few seconds before replying, then he answered, rather huskily:--
"I hoped it would, Jewel."
"_The Books You Like to Read at the Price You Like to Pay_"
_There Are Two Sides to Everything_--