"`Tis the old time religion
And you cannot keep it still?'"


He shook his head.

"It's an awful nice song," I explained. "After it sings about
all the other things religion is good for, there is one line that
says: `IT'S GOOD FOR THOSE IN TROUBLE.'"

I looked at him straight and hard, but he only turned white and
seemed sick.

"So?" said Mr. Pryor. "Well, thank you for the most interesting
morning I've had this side England. I should be delighted if you
would come and hunt lions in my woods with me some time."

"Oh, do you open the door to children?"

"Certainly we open the door to children," he said, and as I live,
he looked so sad I couldn't help thinking he was sorry to close
it against any one. A mystery is the dreadfulest thing.

"Then if children don't matter, maybe I can come lion-hunting
some time with the Princess, after she has made the visit at our
house she said she would."

"Indeed! I hadn't been informed that my daughter contemplated
visiting your house," he said. "When was it arranged?"