as much as they do to us. You must always
remember that. Will you come into the other room and see them? Or I will
fetch--"

But Tommy Dye could not endure any more. He turned with hardly a word,
and fled in desperate haste. The Sisters gazed after him in surprise,
and with a good deal of alarm, until Paul Colbert told them about him,
who and what he was, of his meeting with Father Orin, and the whole
story of the money.

"The poor fellow," said Sister Teresa, softly. "We will pray that the
gift may bring him some of the good that it will do the children. Yes,
we will hereafter remember him, also, in the prayers for our
benefactors," turning her gentle, smiling gaze on the young doctor.

And then he reddened almost as suddenly as Tommy Dye had done, and he
likewise was hastening to make his escape when Sister Teresa called him
back, to ask if he would not be passing Cedar House on the way home. He
said that he would, reddening again. Whereupon the Sister begged as a
favor, that he would stop at the door and tell Ruth to come on the next
day, if possible, to look at the sewing which Sister Angela was doing
for her.

"Sister Angela is a wonderful needle-woman," Sister Teresa could not
help adding with modest pride. "She learned to sew and to do the finest
embroidery while she was studying in a convent in France. She could earn
a great deal of money for the little ones if we were where there were
more patrons who wished to have such fine sewing done. But nobody in
this wild country ever wants it except Mr. Alston for Ruth."

"Mr. Alston for Ruth," Paul Colbert repeated, wonderingly.

"Oh, yes. He thinks nothing is fine enough for Ruth," said Sister
Teresa, simply. "And he pays anything that Sister Angela asks. He never
says a word about the price. Sometimes I fear we ask too much. But then,
the children need so many things, and we have so few ways of earning
money. You won't mind stopping to tell Ruth, doctor? Ask her to come
early to-morrow morning, please. And another thing, if it isn't too much
trouble. Tell her to bring more of the finest thread lace."

This was the first time that Paul Colbert had heard Philip Alston's name
associated with Ruth. It was a shock to hear the names called in the
same breath, for he already knew as much of Philip Alston as any one was
permitted to know. He was aware of the suspicion which blackened his
reputation. He had learned this on first coming to the country. Father
Orin, whe