ed his arm and cried
softly:

"Did you see that? Don't you know her?"

"You mean the girl that just passed--the one in green? I was just
thinking--wondering if that could be Sadie Hall, Alfy Castle's girl."

"That's who it was."

"Why didn't she speak, Hazel?"

The girl looked up into his eyes as she answered:

"I've met her on the street several times. First time I was with
Billy, who had come over for a visit. Sadie nodded, and went on with
the friend, at whose home here she is visiting. The second time I was
standing in front of a confectionery talking to a girl who--well, who
hasn't a very good name in Hamilton; but she works where I do, and
anyway I would not snub her for the world."

"And Miss Hall has stopped speaking entirely, eh?"

Hazel smiled impishly.

"I gave her a fine chance to turn up her nose just now; I winked at
her."

Evan laughed until his companion caught the contagion.

"They're well mated, Hazel--Castle and she."

"Yes, indeed."

When they were skimming through the bay in a canoe, Miss Morton's mind
again reverted to Castle.

"Hasn't he always been a snob?" she asked.

"Don't mention him--it makes me sick to think of him. He takes it
after his uncle, I think."

Nevertheless, Evan kept on thinking about the Castles, as he faced
Hazel in the canoe, until at last and by degrees his story came out.

"Oh, the criminals!" cried Hazel. "Why do so many boys put up with
it!.... Evan," she said earnestly, after a pause, "you have confided
in me, now I want to confide in you." A canoe, it is said, affects
people like that.

"It's something about Billy," she continued. "Will you tell me what I
want to know?"

"If you ought to know, Hazel."

"Well, I should.... I--he--" The tears filled her eyes, and she
seemed undecided whether to give them vent or wipe them away and be
brave. She wiped them away.

"I left a good home and came here to work just so that I could be near
him and help him. I've told him that I'll wait as long as I need to.
I didn't want to go to Toronto, because I knew everyone in Mt. Alban
would then say I tagged Billy. I'm willing to wait, but Billy seems so
discouraged at times I am often afraid he'll run away or do something
rash. Tell me, Evan, is he all right? Does he drink or--anything?"

Evan tried to recall something Bill had said that would cheer the
waiting girl, but could not think of anything. He did remember the
lectures Watson had d