E FIRST MONEY I EVER EARNED IN MY LIFE,' SHE
SAID, GLEEFULLY."]

He lingered a little while after the contest in the outskirts of the
crowd that flocked up to congratulate Avery. She came out to the
carriage on her father's arm, with a fleecy evening cloak wrapped
round her, and he saw the prize. She held it out a moment in her
bare, white hand to some one who stood near Alec. It was a bright
five-dollar gold piece.

"It's the first money I ever earned in my life," she said, gleefully,
including Alec in her smile, so that he felt that the remark was
addressed to him. "It is so precious I shall have to put it under a
glass case. Maybe I can never earn another one."

In his room once more, Alec took out his little gold coin, and,
looking at it, thought he could understand just how proud Avery must
feel of hers.

The next time he saw her it was at a Christian Endeavour meeting.
Ralph Bently was with her, a gentlemanly, elegant boy in appearance,
but Alec knew the reputation he had among the young fellows who knew
him best, and it made him set his teeth together hard to see him with
a girl as pure and refined as Avery.

"He isn't fit," he thought. "He shouldn't speak to Flip if I could
prevent it, and even if he is Avery's cousin and such a young boy,
Mr. Windom oughtn't to let him into the house."

For several weeks, at every meeting, the president had made an
especial appeal for larger contributions. A large, expensive organ
was being built for the church. The Christian Endeavour Society had
pledged themselves to pay five hundred dollars of the amount due on
it, but part of the sum was still lacking, even after all the socials
and fairs that had been given to raise the amount. The president
urged each member to add a little to his previous subscription, even
at the cost of much self-denial.

Alec had been asked to assume the duty of regularly passing one of
the collection boxes at the Sunday night services. He had done this
so often in the Sunday school at home that he felt no embarrassment
in doing so now, except when he reached the row of chairs where Avery
and her cousin sat. He sneezed just as he extended the long-handled
collection box toward them, and flushed hotly for having called every
one's attention to himself by the loud noise.

The other collector, having finished first, placed his box on the
secretary's little stand and went back to his seat. As Alec came
forward, the president asked him in a low