,
laughing.

"O, I only wanted you to have tea over soon, so that we could go out."

"Out!" exclaimed both, "where?"

"To the theatre, there is a splendid bill for to-night. Look your very
best girls."

A deathlike silence followed this announcement, and as Guy had finished,
he rose from the table and went into the parlor, leaving his sisters
sitting there. When he had gone they looked at each other. "O, Ruth!"
said Agnes, sorrowfully. And Ruth replied, sharply, "Well?" but it had a
sound of pain as if she had encountered some terrible sorrow, yet meant
to bear it.

"He will be so angry," continued Agnes. "O, I wish we had staid at
Borden's. Hadn't we better tell him now that we cannot go?"

"You can tell him for yourself, Agnes," and Ruth began removing the
dishes with as much haste as if she were eager to go.

"And you, Ruth?"

"I am going."

"Ruth, you certainly cannot mean it. Going to the theatre and you a
Christian, and this is the first day of the year. O, Ruth, remember
last night and your covenant." Her arms were round her sister now as
though she would hold her back from evil, but Ruth shook her off, and
ran hastily up stairs to the school-room. Locking the door, she walked
up and down the room, with hands tightly clasped and a face expressive
of the strongest conflict.

"Last night, and your covenant," yes, she remembered only too well. But
was not she right in this? Guy _would_ go to these places and he must
not go alone. Her sister was the best one to go with him. He could never
go wrong if she were with him. What was the use of praying that he might
become a Christian, and leaving him to go alone as he chose. No, she
would win him over. He should see that Christians did not have to attend
church and pray all the time, for that would make him dislike religion,
but that they were like other people, only better.

When all this was settled, she began her preparations tremblingly,
thinking how very plain her dress would be compared with the handsome
dresses, to be seen there, but determined to appear well for Guy's sake,
and not to let him know the struggle she had passed through.

As she left the school-room and ascended the short flight of stairs
leading to their bedroom, she heard Agnes and Guy talking.

"She is telling him," she said. "O, I wish I could be Agnes! but we are
differently constituted, and there are different requirements made of
us. Agnes does the praying, and I must make the