lue. What a purple it made! The
colouring was not any more splendid or delicious indeed than one may
see in a summer sunset sky many a day; but somehow the effect on the
feelings was different. And when Matilda looked up again at the
minister and tried to get at the thread of what he was saying, she
found she had lost the connection; and began instead to marvel how he
would look, if the streak of blue which bathed his forehead were to
fall a little lower and lie across his mouth and chin. Altogether, when
the service was ended and the party walked home, Matilda did not feel
as if she had got any good or refreshment out of Sunday yet; more than
out of a kaleidoscope.

"I'll go to Mr. Rush's Sunday school this afternoon"--she determined,
as she was laying off her cloak.

There was no hindrance to this determination; but as Matilda crossed
the lower hall, ready to go out, she was met by Norton.

"Hollo," said he. "What's up now?"

"Nothing is up, Norton."

"Where are you going?"

So Matilda told him.

"Nothing else'll do, hey," said Norton. "Well,--hold on, till I get
into my coat."

"Why, are _you_ going?"

"Looks like it," said Norton. "Why Pink, you are not fit to be trusted
in New York streets alone."

"I know where to go, Norton. But I am very glad you will go too."

"To take care of you," said Norton. "Why Pink, New York is a big trap;
and you would find yourself at the wrong end of a puzzle before you
knew it."

"I have only got two blocks more to go, Norton. I could hardly be
puzzled. Here, we turn down here."

It was no church, nor near a church, the building before which the two
paused. They went up a few steps and entered a little hare vestibule.
The doors giving further entrance were closed; a boy stood there as if
to guard them; and a placard with a few words on it was hung up on one
of them. The words were these

"_And the door was shut_."

"What sort of a place is this?" said Norton.

"This is the Sunday school," said Matilda. "They are singing; don't you
hear them? We are late."

"It seems a queer Sunday school," said Norton. "Don't they let folks in
here?"

"In ten minutes"--said the boy who stood by the door.

"Ten minutes!" echoed Norton. "It's quite an idea, to shut the door in
people's faces and then hang out a sign to tell them it is shut!"

"O no, Norton;--_that_ door isn't this door."

"That isn't this?" said Norton. "What do you mean, Pink? Of course I
know so much; bu