"Cherry's eyes was droppin' tears all this time and then Kittie comes runnin' to her side, and throws her arms round her neck and begins to cry, and says, 'I thought as I loved Him, too, but I'm sure I don't, or I couldn't ha' turned my back on Him as I done to-night! You should 'a heard what Pollie says, against Him!' "'But you runned away from her,' says Cherry, 'and you're sorry now, and want Him to forgive you, don't ye, Kittie?' "'I don't know,' says Kittie sorrowfully; 'I don't see as how He can, for I can't go down and tell mother about it.' "'Why not?' says Cherry. "''Cause I _can't_; it ain't no use, Cherry.' "'Shall we ask Jesus to help you do it?' says Cherry, huggin' of her. "They was quiet after that, and at last Kittie, she says, 'Ask Him then,' and Cherry she bends over her head and whispers somethin'. Then, Dickie, who'd been listenin' all the time, says to her, ''Ou mus' go down now, Kittie, 'cause Jesus 'ull help 'ou, now.' "So Kittie got up without another word and left the room, but when she got to the door she ran back and kissed them both over and over again. 'I do love Him,' she says, 'and I _will_ try to do as He likes!' And then she runs down in good earnest. After that Cherry begins to sing that one about the snow--'Wash me in the Blood of the Lamb, and I shall be whiter than snow.' That was just before you come in, Mrs. Seymour, and I was, as I says, sittin' nigh the gate of Heaven: for it seems to me, when we come to think o' His forgivin' love, as we mount up, and up, and up, till we are a'most lost in wonder!" Mrs. Seymour did not answer beyond a gentle "Yes--yes--yes," as she busied herself in preparing her invalid's supper; but the story sank down into her heart, and many a time little Kittie got a kind smile or a word of encouragement, where before she would have passed her with a nod. And thus she gave "a cup of cold water" to another of His little disciples. A day or two after this Jem and Meg bade Cherry good-bye, and left her under Mrs. Seymour's wing, proud to be of some use in the world. For Mrs. Seymour's last words as she placed her hand upon the girl's shoulder were-- "She's my grandchild, you know, Meg, and I couldn't spare her now for anything." [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XX. EARTH'S SONG AND HEAVEN'S ECHO. While Cherry was busy all day long, from early morning, when she cleaned the doctor's step, till evening, when she read poor suffering Miss Hobson to sleep, little Kittie Blunt was learning her life-lessons too. "Kittie," said Mrs. Blunt one day, as she and the little girl stood over their washing-tub, "I shouldn't like you to grow up like Pollie, and them girls, as is never satisfied unless they're at their doors gossipin'." "Well, I don't, mother," answered Kittie, a little sulkily. "No, you don't; but if you go so much with Pollie it won't be long afore you do."