f you," Ellen ended. "I reckon quiet
folks have got more in them, more real character, than talkative ones
like me."

"Don't!" Hertha clutched her sister's dress and hid her face on her
shoulder. "Don't say that! If I'm good it's only chance----"

She stopped and in the silence that followed it would have been hard to
have told which heart beat the faster.

"Sister," Ellen whispered. "What happened? I wish you'd let me know,
it's better than guessing. You said, before you went away from here,
that he despised you. What was it? I don't like to believe he's bad,
he's been so good to Mammy and me. Really good, not patting you on the
head the way his father does. Mammy got to relying on him. And he's made
it so easy and pleasant for me at school it's one reason I ought to go
away. I need a harder job."

With all her thought of herself, Hertha could not help smiling at this
Hercules who must always move to a "higher and harder" task.

"He tried to get news of you when he went to New York. He told Mammy he
meant to bring some word, but he couldn't."

"That's partly why I didn't send you my address."

"Oh!"

Summoning all her fortitude, Hertha did tell of the gay mornings and the
dark night.

Ellen listened quietly, showing neither dismay nor astonishment. Life as
she had seen it was a grim affair, and she had known fear for this young
girl at her side. But she judged by accomplished facts rather than by
fearsome thoughts or self-accusation. When Hertha had finished she spoke
in her matter-of-fact way:

"I'm so glad you told me, for I must say, Hertha, you haven't shown much
common sense. Why, Lee Merryvale's the one man in the world you can
trust. You know that he resisted temptation. It isn't likely that the
Lord'll lead him down such a difficult path again."

"You mean----" Hertha cried excitedly.

Ellen went on: "As to his not caring for you--if you'd seen him
wandering around this place as I have, looking like a dog that's lost
his mistress, you'd understand he isn't the sort that changes his mind
every few weeks. He was worried sick when he couldn't find you in New
York. We were all frightened, I'll confess now, but he was the worst.
I've seen him digging in his garden, hour after hour, or working among
the trees, acting as if he hadn't a friend in the world. I'm not
excusing anything, don't think that, but I do believe in giving people
credit for what they are and in understanding when they turn from wron