"The theatre will open in a couple of weeks, and then you will have steady work, though I wish we might get an easier and pleasanter occupation for you." "I'm agoin' to hev one, Mr. Vedder," and she proceeded to tell him of Derry and her engagement at his studio. "It kinder seems as if I b'longed to the theayter, and you've been so orful kind to me, Mr. Vedder, that it'll seem strange-like not to be here, but Mr. Phillips's work'll be a snap fer me." "You've been a good, faithful little girl, Amarilly, and I shall want to keep track of you and see you occasionally, so I am going to give you a pass to every Saturday matinee during the winter." "Oh, Mr. Vedder, there's been no one so good as you've been to me! And you never laugh at me like other folks do." "No, indeed, child! Why should I? But I never knew before that you had such beautiful hair!" "It's 'cause it's fixed better," said Amarilly with a blush. "But who wants the surplus this time?" "I do," he replied smiling. "I am invited to a sheet and pillow-case party. I thought this surplice would be more comfortable than a sheet. Here's a dollar for it." "No," declined Amarilly firmly. "Not arter all you've done fer us. I won't take it." "Amarilly," he said earnestly. "I have no one in the world to do anything for, and sometimes, when I get to thinking about it, I am very lonely. So if you want to be kind to me, you will give me the pleasure of helping you a little now and then. I shall not enjoy the party unless you will take the money." Amarilly cried a little that night, thinking how good he was. "I hed orter like him best of all," she thought reproachfully. Two or three days later Pete Noyes came to the house. "Hello, Amarilly! I ain't seen yer in so long I'd fergit how you looked. Say, why didn't you ever fix yer hair that way afore? It looks swell, even if it is red!" "I am older now," she explained in superior, lofty tones, "and of course I hev to think more about my looks than I used ter." He gazed at her with such ardent admiration that she was seized with an impulse to don her white dress and impress his young fancy still further. "He ain't wuth it, though," her sober second thought decided. "What does yer think I come fer, Amarilly?" "I dunno, 'less Mr. Vedder sent you." "He did, sorter. You see, I'm invited to one of them kind of parties whar you dress up ter be the name of a book. One of the stock company is givin' it fer her kids. I don't know the name of any book except _Diamond Dick_ and _The Curse of Gold_, and I didn't know how to rig up fer them. I went to Vedder, and he sez thar's a book what's called _The Little Minister_, and I could rent yer surplus and tog out in it. He said you would take tucks in it fer me." "Sure I will. I'll fix it now while you wait, Pete." "Say, Amarilly, I thought as how, seein' we are both in the perfesshun, sorter, you'd come down on your price." "Sure thing, Pete. I won't charge you nothin' fer it."