It means more'n a good heart! There,
honey, lave it to me. But it's got to be done quick, or th' Sister
Superior'll have ye in an orphan asylum, where ye'll stay till ye air
soused in th' doctrine! I can manage to get word to Father Waite
to-morrow, airly. Jinny will run over fer me. A bit of a word wi'
him'll fix it, lassie dear. An' now, honey swate, off with them funny
clothes and plump into bed. Saints above! it's all but marnin' now!"

A few minutes later the woman turned to the girl who lay so quiet at
her side.

"Honey," she whispered, "was ye tellin' me awhile back that ye knew
the right way to pray?"

"Yes, Katie dear," the child murmured.

"Thin do you pray, lass, an' I'll not trouble the Virgin this night."

* * * * *

"Well, Father, what do you think now?" The Sister Superior looked up
aggressively, as Father Waite slowly entered the room. His head was
bowed, and there was a look of deep earnestness upon his face.

"I have talked with her again--an hour, or more," he said reflectively.
"She is a--a remarkable girl, in many ways." He stopped, uncertain
how to proceed.

The Sister eyed him keenly. "She attracts and repels me, both," she
said. "At times she seems positively uncanny. And she appears to be
suffering from religious dementia. Do you not think so?"

It was a compromising question, and the priest weighed his words
carefully before replying. "She does--seem to--to have rather--a--rather
unusual--religious views," said he slowly.

"Would it not be well to have Dr. Sullivan examine her?"

"To what end?"

"That we may know what to do with her. If she is mentally unsound she
must not be sent to the orphanage."

"She should be taken--a--I mean, we should try to locate her friends.
I have already searched the city directory; but, though there are many
Reeds, there are none listed with the initials she gave me as his. I
had thought," he continued hesitatingly, "I had thought of putting her
in charge of the Young Women's Christian Association--"

"Father Waite!" The Sister Superior rose and drew herself up to her
full height. "Do you mean to say that you have contemplated delivering
her into the hands of heretics?" she demanded coldly, her tall figure
instinct with the mortal pride of religious superiority.

"Why, Sister," returned the priest with embarrassment, "would it not
be wise to place her among those whose views harmonize more closely
with