"Yes, God was looking at you," said Susie; "and he was sorry about you too—more sorry than I can be, because he loves you more than I do." "More than you do!" repeated Elfie. "He can't, for you've come to prison with me, though all the people were looking at you and calling you a thief." "Yes, he has," said Susie. "Don't you remember I told you about the Lord Jesus being God as well as man? Well, he came down from heaven to die for our sins—to save us just because we had all been doing such wicked things as stealing, and telling lies, and forgetting him. But to do this he had to suffer a dreadful, cruel death. And he wasn't compelled to do it either, for he did not deserve it; it was us who deserved it, but he loved us so much that he took our punishment instead." "But he won't love me now," said Elfie. "It's no good telling me about this now." "Yes, it is. Elfie, if you will only ask him to help you to be honest in future," said Susie. "But I've been stealing—I've done such lots of bad things," said Elfie. "But Jesus will forgive them all, if you ask him," said Susie quickly. "He loves you still, Elfie; though you've been trying to forget him, he hasn't forgot you. He wants you to believe in his love and love him too." "O Susie, are you sure about it? Are you sure Jesus will love me as much as you do?" asked Elfie. "He loves you a great deal more than I do. That's why God wishes us to love each other, that we may understand his love," said Susie. "Mother used to say we could never understand God's love, if it wasn't for having father and mother or brothers and sisters to love us." "I never had a father and mother to love me," said Elfie. "I never had anybody but you, Susie." "Never mind; I'll be your sister, and love you," said Susie. "And then, perhaps, by-and-by I shall understand about God's love," whispered Elfie, as she laid her head Susie's shoulder. CHAPTER VI. WILL SHE CONQUER? AFTER Elfie and Susie had been kept some hours in the dull, gloomy prison cell, a policeman came and took them into another part of the building, where a magistrate was sitting, and the policeman stated why Elfie had been taken up. He had not seen her take the boots himself, however, and the man to whom they belonged said he did not wish to send the child to prison; and so the magistrate, warning her that if ever she was taken up again, she would not get off so easily, let her go. Against Susie there was no charge, and so the two were allowed to leave together, the policeman telling them never to steal any more, or they would be sent to prison for a month. "Susie never did steal," said Elfie, indignantly turning round upon the man as she spoke. "Hush, Elfie, never mind," whispered Susie, who was anxious to get away now. "But I shall mind. You never did steal in your life, and it's a shame to say you did," retorted Elfie. "But don't you see I was with you, and so I mustn't mind what they say," replied Susie.