"Admitting the supposition that He is, and is a rewarder of them that
seek Him, does it cover the ground of responsibility to ignore Him
because you are not sure?"

"Perhaps not," said Hubert. "But," he added doggedly, "if He is, and
wishes to be known and worshiped, He ought to be demonstrable."

Mrs. Gray looked a little frightened. She never liked to hear Hubert
talk about those things, and it was so mortifying to have him take such
a stand against the church and everything everybody--at least most
respectable people--believed. She was sure he was saying something
dreadful now. Mr. Gray looked apprehensive, too. Winifred's
self-revelation of the morning made her feel like casting no stones at
her brother.

Mr. Bond looked at Hubert mildly.

"I think you are quite right," he said.

Here the discussion seemed to end. Hubert could make no reply to the
man who agreed with him. An instinct to fight for his position had
sprung up, but he was disarmed by Mr. Bond's assent to his proposition.
He was not accustomed to being met like that. His father's loyal
policy had been to protect his household from infidel talk, and he had
not taken too much pains to ascertain his son's point of view, and if
possible, to lead him from it into light. Hubert had found some
Christian people ready to argue with him who would admit no position he
held, however logical, believing that every arrow from the sceptic's
quiver must be a poisoned one. He withdrew in bitterness from such