the poor girl's heart, recalled there by some
mysterious and Divine power. Words and scenes, forgotten since
childhood, came back with wonderful freshness and force. She thought
of a poor, guilty, outcast woman, reviled and despised by all save One,
who had compassion even for her, forgave all her sins, stilled the
clamour of her accusers, and said, 'Thy faith hath saved thee; go in
peace.' She remembered the time when the records of His infinite love
had been repeated by her innocent young lips and pondered in her maiden
heart. Like some echo from the distant past she seemed to hear the
words, 'By Thine agony and bloody sweat; by Thy cross and passion; by
Thy precious death and burial, good Lord deliver us. O Lamb of God,
that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.'

'Oh! Meg! Meg!' cried Kitty, almost crawling to the corner where she
lay, and falling down beside her on the floor, with her poor pale face
still hidden from sight, 'ask God for me to be made good again.'

Little Meg stretched out her unbruised arm, and laid her hand upon
Kitty's bended head.

'You must ask Him for yourself,' she said, after thinking for a minute
or two: 'I don't know as it 'ud do for me to ask God, if you didn't as
well.'

'What shall I say, Meg?' asked Kitty.

'If I was you,' said Meg, 'and had grow'd up wicked, and run away from
mother, I'd say, "Pray God, make me a good girl again, and let me be a
comfort to mother till she dies; for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen."'

There was a dead silence in the back attic, except for the near noise
and distant din which came from the court below, and the great
labyrinth of streets around. Little Meg's eyes shone lovingly and
pityingly upon Kitty, who looked up for an instant, and caught their
light. Then she dropped her head down upon the mattress, and gave way
to a storm of tears and sobs.

'O God,' she cried, 'do have mercy upon me, and make me good again, if
it's possible. Help me to be a good girl to mother. God forgive me
for Jesus Christ's sake!'

She sobbed out this prayer over and over again, until her voice fell
into a low whisper which even Meg could not hear; and so she lay upon
the floor beside the mattress until her mother came back. Mrs
Blossom's face was pale, but radiant with gladness, and Posy looked at
it for the first time fully. Then she gave a great cry of mingled joy
and sorrow, and running to her threw her arms round her neck, and laid
her