ok the tired Lionel Hezekiah on her
knee, and laid her wet cheek against his shining head.

"Oh, Lionel Hezekiah, what does make you get into mischief so
constantly?" she sighed.

Lionel Hezekiah frowned reflectively.

"I don't know," he finally announced, "unless it's because you don't
send me to Sunday school."

Salome started as if an electric shock had passed through her frail
body.

"Why, Lionel Hezekiah," she stammered, "what put such and idea into your
head?"

"Well, all the other boys go," said Lionel Hezekiah defiantly; "and
they're all better'n me; so I guess that must be the reason. Teddy
Markham says that all little boys should go to Sunday school, and that
if they don't they're sure to go to the bad place. I don't see how you
can 'spect me to behave well when you won't send me to Sunday school.

"Would you like to go?" asked Salome, almost in a whisper.

"I'd like it bully," said Lionel Hezekiah frankly and succinctly.

"Oh, don't use such dreadful words," sighed Salome helplessly. "I'll see
what can be done. Perhaps you can go. I'll ask your Aunt Judith."

"Oh, Aunt Judith won't let me go," said Lionel Hezekiah despondingly.
"Aunt Judith doesn't believe there is any God or any bad place. Teddy
Markham says she doesn't. He says she's an awful wicked woman 'cause she
never goes to church. So you must be wicked too, Aunt Salome, 'cause you
never go. Why don't you?"

"Your--your Aunt Judith won't let me go," faltered Salome, more
perplexed than she had ever been before in her life.

"Well, it doesn't seem to me that you have much fun on Sundays,"
remarked Lionel Hezekiah ponderingly. "I'd have more if I was you. But I
s'pose you can't 'cause you're ladies. I'm glad I'm a man. Look at Abel
Blair, what splendid times he has on Sundays. He never goes to church,
but he goes fishing, and has cock-fights, and gets drunk. When I grow
up, I'm going to do that on Sundays too, since I won't be going to
church. I don't want to go to church, but I'd like to go to Sunday
school."

Salome listened in agony. Every word of Lionel Hezekiah's stung her
conscience unbearably. So this was the result of her weak yielding to
Judith; this innocent child looked upon her as a wicked woman, and,
worse still, regarded old, depraved Abel Blair as a model to be
imitated. Oh! was it too late to undo the evil? When Judith returned,
Salome blurted out the whole story. "Lionel Hezekiah must go to Sunday
school," she concluded