"We want you on it," he said, nodding to Allison and then, looking shyly at Leslie, added, "And you?"
"Oh!" said Leslie, flushing in fright, "what would we have to do? I never prayed before anybody in my life. I'm not sure I even know how to pray, only just to say 'Thank you' to God sometimes. I think you could find somebody better."
"We've got to have you this time," said the president, shaking his head. "You needn't pray if you don't want to, but you must come and help us through."
"But I couldn't go and be a--a sort of slacker!" said Leslie, her cheeks quite beautifully red.
"That's all right! You come!" said Bryan, looking solemnly at her.
When the visitors finally took themselves away, Allison, polite to the last, closed the door with a courteous "Good-night," and then stood frowning at the fire.
Julia Cloud came softly into the room, and went and stood beside him with loving question in her eyes. He met her gaze with a new kind of hardness.
"Now, you see what you let me in for, Cloudy, when you made me go to that little old dull Christian Endeavor! But I won't do it! That's all there is to it. You needn't think I'm going to. The idea! Why, what did we come here to college for? To run an asylum for sick Sunday schools, I'd like to know? As if I had time to monkey with their little old society! It's rank nonsense, anyhow! What good do they think they can do, a couple of sissies, and two or three kid vamps, setting up to lisp religion? It's ridiculous!"
He was working himself up into a fine frenzy. Julia Cloud stood and watched him, an amused smile growing on her sweet lips. He caught the amusement, and fired up at it.
"What are you looking like that at me for, Cloudy? You know it is. You know it's all foolishness. And you know I couldn't help them, anyhow. Come, now, don't you? What are you looking like that for, Cloudy? I believe you're laughing at me! You think I'll go and get into this thing, but I'll show you. I won't! And that's an end of it. Cloudy, I insist on knowing what you find to laugh at in this situation."
"Why, I was just thinking how much you reminded me of Moses," said Julia Cloud sweetly.
"Of Moses!" screamed Allison half angrily. "Why, he was a meek man, and I'm not meek. I'm mad! Out and out mad, Cloudy. What do you mean?"