It seemed sweet and good to be a Christian when he talked.
With all his antiquated beliefs he never made me doubt as--as I doubt to-day.

But it was another thing I wanted to show you--something I found--some old compositions of Bernal's that his grandfather must have kept.

Here's one about birds--'jingle-birds, squeak-birds and clatter-birds.' No ?--you wouldn't care for that ?--well--listen to this." She read the youthful Bernal's effort to rehabilitate the much-blemished reputation of Judas--a paper that had been curiously preserved by the old man.
"Poor Judas, indeed!" The novelty was not lost upon Aunt Bell, expert that she was in all obliquities from accepted tradition.
"The funny boy! Very ingenious, I'm sure.

I dare say no one ever before said a good word for Judas since the day of his death, and this lad would canonise him out of hand.

Think of it--St.Judas!" Nancy lay back among the cushions, talking idly, inconsequently.
"You see, there was at least one man created, Aunt Bell, who could by no chance be saved--one man who had to betray the Son of Man--one man to be forever left out of the Christian scheme of salvation, even if every other in the world were saved.