his eye wandered
past her to some of his flock who were escaping by the church door.

"Do take a class, Mrs. Spence," he urged.

"Do you mean teach one?" asked Desire. "I'm sorry, but I don't know
how."

"Beg pardon? Oh, but of course you do. It is only for today. We are so
short. You will do splendidly, I'm sure. They are very little girls and
it's in the Old Testament."

"But I don't--"

"Oh, that will be quite all right. It's Moses. Quite easy."

"I have never--"

"It doesn't matter, really. Just the plain story, you know. I find
myself the best way is to adopt a cheerful, conversational manner and
keep them from asking questions. At that age they never ask the right
ones. Stump you every time if you're not careful. Give them the facts.
They'll understand them later."

"I don't understand them myself," objected Desire. But by this time the
assistant's eye was quite distracted.

"So very good of you," he murmured, "if you will come this way--"

Desire went that way and presently found herself seated in the Sunday
School room in a blazing bar of sunlight and facing a row of small
Bainbridgers, surprisingly brisk and wide-awake considering the weather.

"We usually have our boys' and girls' classes separate," explained the
assistant. "But this is a mixed class as you see."

Desire saw that the mixture consisted of a very round boy in a very
stiff sailor suit.

"Now children, Mrs. Spence is going to tell you about Moses. Mrs.
Spence is a newcomer. We must make her welcome and show her how well
behaved we are."

"I'm not," volunteered an angel-faced child with an engaging smile.

"I got a lickin' on Friday," added the round boy, who as sole member of
his sex felt that he must stand up for it.

The assistant shook a finger at them cheerfully and hurried away.

Desire became the focus of all eyes and a watchful dumbness settled
down upon them like a pall. Frantically she tried to remember her
instructions. But never had a light conversational manner seemed more
difficult to attain.

"I hope," she faltered, seeking for a sympathetic entry, "that your
regular teacher is not ill?"

The row of inquiring eyes showed no intelligence.

"Is she?" asked Desire, looking directly at the child opposite.

"Ma says she only thinks she is," said the child. The row rustled
pleasantly.

"I understand," went on Desire hastily, "that we are to talk about
Moses. How many here can tell me anything about Moses?"

T