e they passed,
and drinking in all the woodsy odors and gentle sounds of dying leaves
and dropping nuts.

"Say, Cloudy," said Allison suddenly out of the midst of his
thoughtfulness, "why don't the ministers preach about all this? I had
to go to church a lot when I was in prep school, and I never yet heard
a sermon on it. Or, if I did, it was so dull I didn't get the hang of
it. But I should think if they preached about it just as you've done,
made it plain so people could understand, that most folks, that is,
the ones who wanted to do half right, would see to it that Sunday
wasn't so rotten."

"Well, Allison," said Julia Cloud, a soft smile playing dreamfully
about her lips, "perhaps they don't realize the need. Perhaps it's 'up
to you,' as you say, to somehow wake them up and set them at it."

Allison drew a long whistle and grinned as they went into the house.

CHAPTER XIII

A few minutes later Julia Cloud watched them go off into the dusk to
the Christian Endeavor meeting. She was to follow them in a little
while and meet them for the evening service. She wondered as she saw
them disappear into the shadows of the long maple-lined avenue whether
perhaps she was not overdoing the matter a little in the way of
meetings, and was almost sorry she had not suggested staying home from
the evening service. It would not do to make them weary of it all on
this first Sunday.

As they walked along together, the brother and sister were thinking
deeply.

"Say, Allison, isn't this the very funniest thing we ever did, going
off like this to a prayer meeting alone? What did we do it for?" asked
the sister.

"Well, I guess just because Cloudy wanted it," replied the brother.
"She's given up her home and everything for us; we ought to. But say,
Les, there's a whole lot in what Cloudy was reading this afternoon. If
it's all true, it's a wonder more people don't try it. I've often
wondered why we were alive, anyway, haven't you? There doesn't seem
much sense to it unless there's something like this." "Oh, I don't
know, Allison; it's nice to be alive. But of course we never will feel
quite as if this is the only place since Mother and Dad aren't here
any more. Aren't things queer, anyway? I wish there was some way to be
sure."

"Well, I s'pose the Bible claims to be sure. Perhaps we could find out
a lot if we read it."

"We're likely to read it quite a good deal, don't you think?" asked
the sister archly. "But reall