“You think I cannot do it,” she said, almost gayly. He hastened to answer her. “Indeed, you have no idea of the sort of class it is. I have given you no conception of it; I cannot. You would think yourself before a set of uncaged animals.” “Yes, and in case of failure I should only be where the others are, who have tried and failed. If you will introduce me, and your superintendent will let me, I mean to try; and that will relieve you of the dilemma of being entirely without a teacher for them.” Young Ried had nothing to say. He thought the attempt a piece of folly,--a worse than useless experiment; but how was he to say so to the wife of his employer? That gentleman appeared just then, making haste. “I was unavoidably detained,” he explained; “I feared you would grow weary of waiting. Ah, Ried, my wife has introduced herself, I see. Is he the young man you were speaking of, Mrs. Roberts?” “The very young man,--Ester Ried's brother. He doesn't know how glad I am to have met him. Some day when we are better acquainted, and you trust me more fully, I am going to tell you how I became so deeply interested in your dear sister. Meantime this little matter should be definitely settled. Mr. Roberts, I have invited myself to take a class to-morrow down at the South End Mission.” “Have you, indeed?” Mr. Roberts spoke heartily, and seemed by no means dismayed,--only a trifle perplexed as to details. “How can we manage it, Flossy? My prison class takes me in an opposite direction at the same hour, you know.” “Yes, I thought of that; I propose to ask Mr. Ried to call for me, and show me the way, and vouch for my good intentions after I reach there. Do you suppose he will do it?” She looked smilingly from her husband to young Ried, and both waited for his answer. “I obey directions,” he said, bowing respectfully to Mr. Roberts. “Am I to have the honor of being detailed for that service to-morrow?” “So Mrs. Roberts says,” was the good-humored reply, and then the merchant took his wife away to their waiting carriage that had drawn up before the door, leaving Alfred Ried, if the truth must be told, in a fume.