“I think his heart was broken because he doubted if God was love. 'Cupboard love isn't love,' he said. 'Is there any other?' I didn't want to have to answer that question. 'Is there, Ebenezer?" he said. Have you ever known it?" 'Yes,' I said.

He sat for a long time looking into the fire, saying nothing. At last he said, 'You are thinking of your friend, Jim Mahy?' I said, 'I wasn't thinking of Jim, as a matter of fact. I was thinking of Jean Batiste and my sister Tabitha.' He said, 'Yes, but Jim and Jean are dead. It is easy to believe in it because it wasn't broken. They didn't break it of themselves.' I said, 'Perhaps it never really is broken, if the truth was known.’ I don't know why I said that, because I am not at all sure I believe it. He said, ‘I hope to God you’re right!”