and hopeful too, she alone knew,
but she did not write home quite so frequently now, and made excuses
for shorter letters by saying she had so little time to write.

Marion contrived that she should not have an opportunity of saying much
to the young woman who brought the Sunday school bill, for she always
went forward to serve her if they were by themselves in the shop. Once
Kate got so far as to ask her if they had a Bible-class at the Sunday
school, but Marion came up and interposed at once.

"What is the use of your asking questions about a Bible-class here? We
are not here on Sunday, and it would be too far for you to walk
backwards and forwards three or four times a day."

"Yes, I suppose it would," assented Kate slowly.

"We have a very nice class, and the lady who teaches would be glad to
see you if you would come," ventured the customer.

"But she can't; it is impossible," said Marion; and this ended the
conversation, for the young woman did not like to press it further,
and, truth to tell, Kate was beginning to enjoy the Sunday walks and
excursions, and therefore was not so anxious to join a Bible-class as
she had been at first.

So the pleasant days and weeks of autumn slipped away, and when Kate
sometimes asked her cousin what she had meant by saying she must make
it up to William for paying for her steamboat fare, she laughed, and
said she would find out some day if she only kept her eyes open.

Kate had kept her eyes open, as she thought, but Marion had not allowed
her to see too much, for she did not quite feel sure how far Kate might
be trusted with their secret yet; but her friends were not aware of
this, and one day, Marion having gone out on business for Mrs. Maple,
Kate was alone in the shop when William and a companion came in.

"Marion has gone out," said Kate.

"Has she? Something unusual, isn't it?" said the young man carelessly.

"Yes, very unusual," said Kate, "it is not often we get sent out."

"The old lady is out of the way, I suppose?" said William
confidentially, as he helped himself to a sponge-cake from a plate on
the counter.

"Yes, or else I dare not talk to you," said Kate, laughing.

"Well, we came in to ask if you couldn't both manage to go to the
theatre one night," said William, helping himself to something else
from the counter, and handing the plate to his friend.

"Me go to a theatre!" exclaimed Kate; "I have never been in my life."

"Just the reason why yo