"Hello!" he said, picking up a long-stemmed rose, "where did you find
this beauty?"

"I guessed her with my nose," the girl answered. "You know what make
her heart so red? Long time ago, most beautiful princess love with
wrong man. Make Buddha ve'y angly, and he turn her body into white
rose. But her heart just stay all time red 'cause of beautiful love
that was there."

"My! he's a fierce old customer, that Buddha of yours," said Merrit.

Yuki San paused in the filling of the rice-bowl and looked at him
gravely:

"Merrit San, do you know God?"

"Do I know God?" he repeated, with a half-embarrassed laugh.

"Yes, Christians' God, what you must love and love, but no never can
see till die-time come. You know, Merrit San?" Then, lowering her
voice in earnest inquiry, she went on: "You believe that Christians'
God more better for Japanese girl than Buddha?"

For a moment Merrit felt the hot blood of confusion rise to his
temples. The role of spiritual adviser was a new and somewhat
embarrassing one. Struggling for expression, he floundered hopelessly.

"I--I--I guess I don't know very much about it. But there's one sure
tip, Yuki San, the Christians' God is all right. You can't lose out if