to you. I want you to tell me about it. Remember
this. No matter what it is, I am your friend. I feel sure that you are
going blindly and alone, to the coldest, cruelest city in the world and
I should never forgive myself if I allowed you to do it."

Into Evelyn's eyes leaped indescribable terror as Kathleen's hand closed
over hers. For an instant she stared wildly at the newspaper girl, then
the stony reserve, with which she had bolstered herself, gave away, and
tearing her hands free she covered her face with them.

Kathleen waited patiently till the tearless storm which shook Evelyn had
subsided a little. "Now tell me all about it," she urged gently.

Evelyn's hands dropped from her face. The tortured look in her blue eyes
aroused all Kathleen's sympathy. Haltingly, tremblingly, bit by bit,
Evelyn told of the temptation to use her sister's hard-earned money for
fine clothes, and the gulf of deception and dishonesty into which she
had plunged by yielding to it.

Kathleen listened without comment. When Evelyn had finished she said,
"You must go back to Overton, Miss Ward, and to Grace Harlowe. She will
forgive everything and set you right with yourself again."

"Oh, I couldn't," protested Evelyn wildly. "She knows already how
dishonest I've been. I can never go back to Overton. I must stay in New
York and work and never see Ida or any one again. I have forfeited all
claim to friendship or love."

"Nonsense! Just get rid of that idea as fast as ever you can. You are
going to my boarding house with me to-night. To-morrow we will go and
see Anne Pierson. I know where the Southards live. We will ask her to
get you an engagement. Perhaps you can meet Mr. Forest."

"Miss Harlowe told Miss Pierson about me, and she wrote and offered to
get me an engagement," faltered Evelyn, "but I knew I couldn't take it,
so I refused. There wouldn't be any chance for me now. That was several
weeks ago."

"There is sure to be something for you. You are beautiful, you know,"
went on Kathleen in an appraising, matter-of-fact tone. "You are sure to
make good. You must. You're going to pay Semper Fidelis back as soon as
ever you can and you'll have to work hard and save your money."

Forgetting for the instant her remorse and humiliation Evelyn clasped
her hands in an eagerness born of the desire to make reparation. "Oh, I
will!" Then her face clouded. "Miss Pierson won't care to help me after
the dreadful things I've done."

"Who is