nd it, or something,
makes you just the best girl I ever saw. But I can't feel so."

"Yes, you can; our Lord Jesus says '_whosoever_ will, may take of the
water of life freely,' and 'him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise
cast out.' You must be one of the 'whosoever.' O Tessa, I only wish
you'd come!"

But Tessa did not answer, and Katie, thinking her asleep, soon followed
her example.

CHAPTER XVI.

DECIDING.

It was about four weeks later in the season. Miss Eunice's "tea-party,"
which had not been held for a long time, was gathered at the great
house; not now in the pleasant sitting-room, but on the still pleasanter
shaded lawn, where the girls occupied pretty rustic seats, while the tea
was spread on little green tables, around which they were grouped as
inclination prompted them.

All the members of both classes were there, with the exception of Bertie
Sanderson; and there were quite a number of new faces. Some were present
who had lately stood very close to death, and others whom the solemn
thought induced by the public catastrophe had led to seek for a better
life than one of mere amusement. All were glad to come together again;
but there was a subdued tone in the gladness, and some voices were not
as gay and careless as they were a month ago.

The fever had passed away. There had been no more cases, and only that
one death. The rag-room girls and the invalids had gone back to their
work; the hospital was closed; Mrs. Robertson had returned to her
family, with for once a thankful heart. For, besides that she had been
very well paid for her services and loss of time, the pestilence had
spared her own dear ones; and they were all there to welcome her as she
came back to her home.

Moreover, she had become very much attached to Gretchen and the other
girls whom she had attended during their illness, and hated to let them
go back to the tender mercies of Mrs. Doyle and the other boarding-house
keepers, where they would be sure to be not only uncomfortable and badly
fed, but also very much neglected in case of any new illness which might
easily result from their weak, enfeebled condition. Her motherly heart
thought a great deal about the matter, and her thoughts finally ended in
her fitting up a large garret-room, which had never been occupied, with
four little white beds and other necessaries and conveniences, and
taking the four convalescents home with her as permanent boarders. The
girls, whi