be happier if you did admit it?" asked Faith, softly. "I
am sure it would relieve you to get it off of your conscience."

"Oh, it ain't troubling me much!" said the girl indifferently, "but I
will say that I'm glad the stuff didn't kill you!"

"But it might have killed Sam Watkins if the dog had not happened to be
there. Why, Miss Brady, just think; you might have killed a dozen
people!"

The woman shuddered and turned away her face.

"Well, as it didn't kill any one there's some hope for me," she said,
"and I want to live long enough to get square with Jim Denton!"

"What has he done to you?" cried Faith, impulsively. "I can't think what
he could do to make you hate him so bitterly."

"Hate him!" cried the girl. "Me hate Jim Denton! Why, you don't know
what you are talking about! Would I be jealous if I hated him?"

"But you certainly can't love him," said Faith, with another blush. "If
you did you could not harm him so much as in your thoughts. You would be
glad to suffer anything to be able to protect him."

"Oh, I've protected him all right," said the girl, with a sneer; then
she straightened up suddenly and said:

"I want to ask you a favor. I want you to bring old Denton down here,"
she said eagerly. "Bring him yourself and let Fairbanks come with you.
Come any day you like. I'm not particular."

"I will ask Mr. Denton to come, if you wish," said Faith, a little
wonderingly, "and I am sure he will come. He is very sorry for you,
Maggie."

"He'll be sorrier, I'm thinking," was the answer. "But my time is up.
Good-by, Miss Marvin."

"Good-by," said Faith, sweetly, "and you believe me, Miss Brady. You
know now that I am innocent in regard to young Mr. Denton?"

"Bring the old man down, and I'll believe it," was her answer. "If you
will do that for me, I shall have some faith in your friendship."

When Faith got back to the store she went straight to Mr. Denton, and
repeated in as few words as possible her conversation with Maggie.

Mr. Denton had found out himself many things about his son, so Faith did
not hesitate to tell the entire story.

"I can't think that my son has really wronged the woman," he said,
sadly, "but he has been very reckless, I fear, and it is my fault in
great measure."

"And you will go to see her, will you not?" asked Faith, eagerly.

"With pleasure," said Mr. Denton, "and I trust that with our words and
our prayers, Miss Marvin, that we shall be able to bring the poor si