e what it
means."

With the Bible prudently open to save her from any possible
embarrassment at a sudden lapse of memory, she began slowly to recite
the psalm, pausing for explanatory comments as she went along.

"I was in a valley onct," said a sleepy boy, who had contributed nothing
so far to the morning's entertainment. "I fell off'n the dock and the
boat was clost up to me, and that was a valley."

"How'd you get out?" asked several with interest.

"Man pulled me out," and the speaker subsided.

Hannah stole a glance at her watch, as she finished the psalm. She had
strung it out as long as she could, but there were still several minutes
to dispose of.

"Now I wonder who can tell me what that was all about?" she asked, with
feigned sprightliness. "I think you can, the little girl with the red
dress. What's your name? O, yes, Gwendolen."

Every one turned to look at Gwendolen. She stuck her finger in her
mouth, presumably to stem the tide of speech, for as she withdrew it the
words fell out over one another all in one breath.

"Don't want anyfing to eat. Lay down in the grass an' roll. Put kerosene
on my head. Can't git any more in my cup, all spillin' over."

The door opened and once more the superintendent tapped his bell.
Hannah, with a deep sigh of thankfulness, marshalled her troop and drove
them back to their place, taking her martyr's seat in their midst.

Through the reading of the secretary's report and the singing of three
stanzas of the closing hymn, they behaved fairly well, subdued by the
drowsy atmosphere of air unchanged since the morning service. The last
stanza of the hymn was nearly sung. Elsmere rose to his feet and plucked
Peter by the hair of his head. Hannah cast an appealing glance at the
superintendent, who was nearer the offender than herself. He took a
quick stride forward, with his hand uplifted, just as the last wailing
sound of the hymn died away. His hand on Elsmere's collar, he observed
the congregation standing with bowed heads. They had misinterpreted his
gesture. Casting a look of understanding at Hannah, gripping Elsmere
tightly, he pronounced the expected benediction, and as the audience
broke up into home-going groups, set the boy down with emphasis.

"We don't usually close with a prayer," he said to Hannah, "but they
thought that was what I meant, when I stepped forward. I nearly
throttled the child but--"

"I think you will be forgiven," said Hannah firmly. "Miss S