he same
question that Esther Odell had asked her schoolfellows an hour or two
before, "Is Katie a pretty girl?" and all at once a doubt had crept
into her mind about the wisdom of sending her into the midst of unknown
temptations. But she put it down at once, seeing that her sister had
at last decided the matter. "Of course, Kate will be careful and
steady, and not make any chance acquaintances," she said, answering her
own thoughts.

"Yes, yes; it is not that I am afraid of her," said the widow, hastily.

"And Aunt Ellen will always be here to take care of you," said Kate.
"I would not think of going so far away, if you had to be left alone."

"Yes, yes, my dear; I was not thinking of myself at all in the matter,
although I shall miss you terribly, but--but--"

"There, suppose you get your mother a cup of tea as quickly as you can,
Kate, that is what she wants," interrupted Aunt Ellen; and Kate,
feeling very uncomfortable, went to take her things off and get tea
ready.

Mrs. Haydon was better after tea, and could talk more cheerfully of
Kate leaving home. She knew very little of London herself, except what
she had heard from her brother, and very little of her brother's
family. He had several grown-up sons and daughters, and his wife had
been dead some years. Beyond these bare facts, she knew very little
about them, so that Kate would be going among comparative strangers,
and it was this that had troubled the widow most.

"You shall write to your cousin to-morrow morning, Katie, and I will
write to your uncle, it will be better to settle this at once, I
suppose."

"Yes, mother, I am sure it will--not that I want to leave you, mother,
I shall miss you dreadfully, I know, but then I may never have such a
chance as this again."

"True, Kate; but still I cannot help wishing it was to some nice
nursery you were going instead of a shop."

"But then it is only a baker's shop, mother," said Kate.

"Yes, yes; but it's so far away from home; if you could come to me for
the Sundays, Kate, or if I knew anything of your cousin Marion, it
would be different--I should feel more easy about you."

"Oh, mother, why need you feel uneasy. Surely you do not think I
should do anything wicked?" exclaimed Kate.

"No, no, my child. I hope that which you have learned at Sunday school
will not be so easily forgotten. Kate, you must find out a Bible-class
as soon as you get there, even if your cousins do not go to Sunday
s