"Where are you, children?"

The Story Girl had returned! At any other moment we would have
rushed to meet her in wild joy. But now we were too crushed and
miserable to move.

"Whatever is the matter with you all?" demanded the Story Girl,
appearing at the top of the stairs. "What is Sara crying about?
What have you got there?"

"A picture of God," said Cecily with a sob in her voice, "and oh,
it is so dreadful and ugly. Look!"

The Story Girl looked. An expression of scorn came over her
face.

"Surely you don't believe God looks like that," she said
impatiently, while her fine eyes flashed. "He doesn't--He
couldn't. He is wonderful and beautiful. I'm surprised at you.
THAT is nothing but the picture of a cross old man."

Hope sprang up in our hearts, although we were not wholly
convinced.

"I don't know," said Dan dubiously. "It says under the picture
'God in the Garden of Eden.' It's PRINTED."

"Well, I suppose that's what the man who drew it thought God was
like," answered the Story Girl carelessly. "But HE couldn't have