"Before her mother died. She's got a book full of 'em. She says when she was alone up in that attic she used to sing 'em to Dickie pretty near all day; and what's more, I've heard it often through the window, but o' course I didn't know as it was her." "We didn't guess as we should ever come to know and love any one livin' in _that_ house, did we, Miss Hobson? It shows us how some nice things can come out of bad things!" Miss Hobson shook her head assentingly, but her mind was running on something else. "Who do ye think has been up here a listenin' to her too?" "I don't know, I'm sure," answered Mrs. Seymour, looking round quickly, for she disliked visitors in her little home, more especially on Sundays. Miss Hobson knew this, but she went on calmly: "We was sittin' here, as you left us, me in my bed, and Cherry by your fire, when there comes a little rap at the door, and Kittie Blunt comes in. "'Oh, Kittie,' says Cherry, half-startled, 'do you want Mrs. Seymour?' "'No, I don't, I want you--may I come in and speak to yer?' "'I suppose so,' says Cherry, as if she didn't rightly know. I think she'd forgotten as I was close by, and she could ha' asked me." "Well?" questioned Mrs. Seymour, as Miss Hobson paused. "Well--Kittie she comes in and stands just where I couldn't see her, but I could see Cherry and Dickie as I lay, and she says in a low voice, 'Cherry, was you at the Mission Room this mornin'?--but there, I know as you was--well, Cherry, mother said as I should have a turn to go to-night, and she'd put the little 'uns to bed. So I puts on my things and goes; leastways, I set out to go, but when I got a little way--Cherry! I met one o' my schoolfellers, and she said as it was nonsense what was talked there, and I should be a silly girl if I went. So I turned t'other way with her, and we went a walk instead. And after a bit I felt so wretched, and all at once I said good night all in a hurry, and ran home. But when I got to the door I couldn't make up my mind to go in and tell mother how bad I'd been, and she so kind in smartenin' me up and all, and I came up to ask you if you could ever have done such a thing?' "Cherry, she looked up from hugging of Dickie, and she says as gentle as anythink, 'I expect I could have, Kittie, only you see I don't want to do nothing bad just now, 'cause I'm so happy.' "'Yes,' says Kittie, 'but if you wasn't happy, Cherry?' "Cherry nodded, and she says, 'That's what I mean. When I used to be so miserable, and we was so hungry--Dickie and me--I used to tell dreadful stories to quiet him sometimes.' "'Oh!' says Kittie. "'I didn't _mean_ to be so wicked,' says Cherry, 'and I didn't think much about it then; the words used just to slip out, anything as come first; but since I've come back here to this nice home, I'm awful sorry as I could ha' said such things, 'cause, ye know, I did love the Lord Jesus, even then!--and think o' telling lies and lovin' _Him_ at the same time!'