it so much as our talking to those
young men as we do."

"Well, ask her and see!" said Marion, scornfully.

"I've a great mind to," said Kate.

"Do; go now! Kate, you are the greatest simpleton that ever came to
London, I think. I do believe you would go and ask this, as though you
were afraid your tongue was not your own. Talk to her if you like,
only don't grumble any more about me talking to my friends, as you do
sometimes."

If Kate had only known it, Mrs. Maple would readily have granted a
breaking of her rule in favour of this customer, for she knew her to be
a good, industrious young woman, who would influence her aright; for
although not a Christian herself she had a great respect for those who
were, and knew they were the most trustworthy and reliable in business.

But Kate was laughed out of her intention of speaking to Mrs. Maple
about this, and as she happened to be in the shop each time this
customer came in during the next week, she had no opportunity of asking
her what she wished, and so another Sunday came round without any
effort being made to discover the Bible-class she had told her mother
she would find.

During this week Marion's friends came in nearly every day, and Kate
noticed that they ate a good deal of pastry as they stood laughing and
chatting with them, for Kate was easily drawn into the talk now, but
Marion always took the money for what they had, so that she did not
know what money really was paid.

One day she ventured to say, "I suppose William has a very high salary,
as he can afford to spend so much in buns and cakes, and go out for
Sunday excursions?"

"And pay for people who are so foolish as to lose their purses, you
should add," laughed Marion.

But it was no laughing matter to Kate. Already she had been obliged to
borrow a postage-stamp from her cousin to send her customary letter to
her mother, and she had a keen suspicion that it had been taken from
Mrs. Maple's desk, of which Marion kept the key. The following Sunday
it was arranged that they should go to Greenwich again, and though Kate
protested at first that she would not go, she was at last persuaded to
join the party, Marion offering to pay for her, or to lend her the
money to pay for herself. This time Kate enjoyed herself almost as
much as any of them. She had succeeded in quieting her conscience, so
that it did not trouble her as much as it did at first. How she
succeeded in keeping her mother quiet