"There are enough for her to be warmly clothed, and you will see to it that she has them on, won't you?" said Maria. Her voice was quite sweet and ingratiating, and not at all patronizing. Suddenly the woman made a clutch at her arm. "You are a good young one, doin' so much for my young one," she whispered. "Now you'd better git up and git. They've been drinkin'. Git!" "You will see that Jessy has the things to wear Monday, won't you?" said Maria. "Sure." Suddenly the woman wiped her eyes and gave a maudlin sob. "You're a good young one," she whimpered. "Now, git." Maria ran across the road as the door closed after her. She did not know that Mrs. Ramsey had given the parcels which she had brought a toss into another room, and when she entered the room in which the men were carousing and was asked who had come to the door, had replied, "The butcher for his bill," to be greeted with roars of laughter. She did, indeed, hear the roars of laughter. Lily slunk along swiftly beside the fence by her side. Maria caught her by the arm. Curiously enough, while she was not afraid for herself, she did feel a little fear now for her companion. The two girls hurried until they reached the bridge, and ran the whole length. On the other side, coming into the lighted main street of Amity, they felt quite safe. "Did you see any of those dreadful men?" gasped Lily. "I just caught a glimpse of them, then Mrs. Ramsey shut the door," said Maria. "They were drunk, weren't they?" "I shouldn't wonder." "I do think it was an awful place to go to," said Lily, with a little sigh of relief that she was out of it. The girls went along the street until they reached the Ramsey house, next the one where Maria lived. Suddenly a man's figure appeared from the gate. It was almost as if he had been watching. "Good-evening," he said, and the girls saw that he was George Ramsey. "Good-evening, Mr. Ramsey," responded Maria. She felt Lily's arm tremble in hers. George walked along with them. "I have been to carry the presents which I bought with your money," said Maria. "Good heavens! You don't mean that you two girls have been all alone up there?" said George. "Why, yes," said Maria. "Why not?" "Weren't you afraid?" "Maria isn't afraid of anything," Lily's sweet, little, tremulous voice piped on the other side. George was walking next Maria. There was a slight and very gentle accusation in the voice. "It wasn't safe," said George, soberly, "and I should have been glad to go with you." Maria laughed. "Well, here we are, safe and sound," she said. "I didn't see anything to be much afraid of." "All the same, they are an awful set there," said George. They had reached Maria's door, and he added, "Suppose you walk along with me, Miss Edgham, and I will see Lily home." George had been to school with Lily, and had always called her by her first name. Maria again felt that little tremor of Lily's arm in hers, and did not understand it. "All right," she said.