"Dear Hubert!" she said to herself. "I wish he knew."

With an impulse she laid her book hastily down and ran down the stairs
and into the garden. She flew noiselessly across the soft grass and
surprised Hubert from behind, clasping his arm with a cheerful "Good
morning!"

He looked down on her glowing face and kissed it.

"How bright you look," he said. "Were you up with the birds? I heard
you singing your matins with them."

"Did you hear me?" said Winifred, with a blush at being overheard.

"Yes. What makes you so happy, Winnie?"

"Oh, Hubert," she cried, and she clasped his arm more tightly, "My
heart is almost breaking with joy! I think I have begun--to know God!"

He looked at her with a surprised hunger in his dark eyes.

"And do you find the knowledge such a joy?" he asked, with deep sadness
in his own voice.

"Oh, yes, Hubert," she said. "He is so good!"

Later in the day a small breeze swept in the front door of the Gray
Mansion, past the maid, up the stairway, and to the door of Winifred's
little sitting-room. It came with the person of Miss Adele Forrester.

"Hello," said a bright voice. "Anybody here?"

Winifred rose from her quaint little window-seat with an expression of
pleasure.

"Oh, Adele! I am so glad to see you."

The two young ladies kissed each other and sat down to talk with the
easy familiarity of old friends.

"Dear!" cried exclamatory Miss Forrester. "I am out of breath!--I have
raced so! I left home an hour ago, but was beguiled by some
fascinating bargains in Butterworth's windows. Do see that love of a
thing for ninety-eight cents. Did you ever see such a bargain? I
wouldn't let them send it for I wanted you to see it."

The fascinating trifle was admired, and then Miss Forrester flew at the
chief matter of her visit enthusiastically.

"Do you know what is in the wind, Winifred? Professor Black, who leads
the choir in the Linden Street church, is going to get up a comic opera
with a cast from the various choirs, and I am invited. We are to go to
Northville and give it in the little one-horse theater there. Won't it
be gay? We shall astonish the natives of that small town! Have you
had your invitation?"

Winifred shook her head.

"How calm you are. I am very much excited about it already. You know
I like that sort of thing. It isn't decided what we shall give, but
probably Pinafore, or Patience, or some old thing. They won't care at
Northville.