not
liking the laugh following her words, she went on hastily: 'Nurse
doesn't ask where I go, so I don't tell her; but I go to church, when I
don't go to Mr. Russell.'

'And what do you do there?'

'Well,' said Betty, looking very steadily at her uncle, 'if you and
Major St. Clair won't say anything about it, I'll tell you.'

'Wild horses won't tear it from me,' said the major.

'I go to take some flowers to a little dead girl there; she likes to
smell them, and hold them in her hands instead of the dead lily she has
got. And then I've got a friend who meets me there--a lady she is--and
she sings the most beautiful songs on the organ! they make me cry
sometimes. And the church is so dark, and still, and cool; it's a
beautiful place.'

'Will you let me come with you?' asked Major St. Clair, rising as he
spoke.

'It is an enchanting programme,' murmured Uncle Harry; 'tears amongst
the dead! I warn you, my dear fellow, the church is nearly a mile
away.'

'I want to stretch my legs,' was the response.

Betty set off radiant, with much self-importance.

'You see,' she said, looking up at the major through her long lashes as
she trotted along at his side, 'I don't always ask people to come with
me; Prince and I are quite enough. But you're a visitor, and so is
Uncle Harry. You won't talk or make a noise in church, will you? And
will you help me to get some honeysuckle from the hedge as we go along?
Violet will like to smell it--at least, I make believe she will.'

The walk seemed a short one to the major, Betty entertained him so
well. When they reached the church, she took him straight to the
monument she loved so much, and was pleased with his genuine admiration
of it. She placed the honeysuckle reverentially in the clasped hands
of the little figure, which she stooped down to kiss as usual, and then
pointed to the stained window above.

'Don't you like it?' she said in a solemn whisper. 'And do you see the
text? Mr. Russell put it there. I was asking him the other day about
it. I asked him if he was like one of the disciples that wanted to
keep the children away from Jesus, and if he put it up for that, and he
said, Yes, he did want to forbid Violet to go to Jesus when He called
her. I expect Violet is very glad she wasn't kept back, don't you
think so?'

'I expect so,' the major responded gravely.

'She wasn't any bigger than me,' continued Betty, standing before the
window with clasped han