more than the whole lot
of them put together."

Julia Cloud leaned forward, and touched lightly and affectionately the
hair that waved back from the boy's forehead, and spoke tenderly.

"Dear boy, I'll not forget your leaving your friends and coming back
to me and to the Sabbath and church and all that. It means a lot to
me to have my children observe those things. I hope some day you'll do
it because you feel you want to please God instead of me."

"Sure!" said Allison, trying not to look embarrassed. "I guess maybe I
care about that, too, a little bit. To tell the truth, Cloudy, I
couldn't see staying away from that Christian Endeavor meeting after
I've worked hard all the week to get people to come to it. It didn't
seem square."

The moment was tense with deep feeling, and Julia Cloud could not
bring herself to break it by words. She brought the boy's hand up to
her lips, and pressed it close; and then just as she was about to
speak the telephone rang sharply again and again.

Allison sprang up, and went to answer.

"Hello. Yes. Oh! Miss Bristol! What? Are you sure? I'll be there at
once. Lock yourself in your room till I get there."

He hung up the receiver excitedly.

"Call up the fire department quick, Leslie! Tell them to hurry.
There's some one breaking into the Johnson house, and Jane Bristol is
there alone with the children. It's Park Avenue, you know. Hustle!"

He was out the door before they could exclaim, and Leslie hastened to
the telephone.

"He went without his overcoat," said Julia Cloud, hurrying to the
closet for it. "It will be very cold riding. He ought to have it."

Leslie hung up the receiver, and flung her velvet cloak about her
hurriedly, grabbing the overcoat.

"Give it to me, Cloudy; I'm going with him!" she cried, and dashed out
the door as the car slid out of the garage.

"O Leslie! Child! You _oughtn't_ to go!" she cried, rushing to the
door; but Leslie was already climbing into the car, moving as it was.

"It's all right, Cloudy!" she called. "There's a revolver in the car,
you know!" and the car whirled away down the street.

Julia Cloud stood gasping after them; the horrible thought of a
revolver in the car did not cheer her as Leslie had evidently hoped it
would. What children they were, after all, plunging her from one
trouble into another, yet what dear, tender-hearted, loving children!
She went in, and found a heavy cloak, and went out again to listen.
Then it cam