d Mr Byers. "You will go to hell," he said.
Then he looked round the church. Jane saw that Patsy and Honeybird
were sitting on their seats watching him.

"You will go to hell," he said again. This time he picked out Mrs
Maxwell. Jane waited, expecting he would tell them some awful sins
these three had committed. But after a long pause he said: "Everyone
seated before me this morning will go to hell."

A chill seemed to have fallen on the congregation. Patsy said
afterwards he thought the devil was waiting outside with a long car to
drive them off at once. "Except ye be converted," the preacher added.

He went on to describe what hell was like, and told them a story of a
godless death-bed he had stood beside, where he had heard the sinner's
groans of remorse--useless then, for God had said he must perish.
Jane's eyes never for a moment wandered from the man's face. Even when
he turned to her she still looked at him, though she was cold with
fear. "The young too will perish except they be converted," he said.

At last the sermon came to an end. The children went out to the porch
to wait for the car. But the sermon had been so long that Andy Graham
was waiting for them. The others ran down the path, but Jane turned
back, and went into the church. All the people had gone. The strange
clergyman was just coming through the vestry door. Jane went up to
him. "I want to get converted," she said; "quick, for Andy Graham's
waitin'."

"Pray to God, and He will give you an assurance that your sins are
forgiven," the clergyman said.

"Come on, Jane," Patsy shouted at the porch door.

"Thank ye," said Jane, and went out to the car.

On Sunday afternoon they generally weeded Patsy's garden or played with
the rabbits, but this day Jane went up to the nursery the minute dinner
was over. Fly, who was sent up by Mick to tell her to come out, found
the door locked.

"Who's there?" said Jane.

"It's me; Mick wants ye," said Fly.

"I can't come."

"What're ye doin'?"

"Mind yer own business," was the reply.

"Let me in; I want a hanky," said Fly.

There was no answer, but as Fly went on trying to turn the handle and
banging at the door it suddenly opened, and Jane faced her.

"Can't ye go away ar that an' quit botherin' me?" she said.

"What're ye doin'?" said Fly, trying to look round the door, but Jane
slammed it in her face.

"If ye don't go away I'll give ye the right good thumpin'," she said.
Fly