"We are going to meet my aunt and stay to church. Would you come and sit with us to-night?" she asked eagerly. "I'd like to get acquainted with you."
Jane Bristol shook her head with a wistful smile.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I wish I could. But I take care of a little girl evenings, and I only get off long enough for Christian Endeavor. It's dear of you to ask me."
"Well, you'll come and see me when I get settled in my new home, won't you?"
Jane looked at her thoughtfully, and then gave her a beautiful smile in answer to Leslie's brilliant one.
"Yes, if you find you want me when you get settled, I'll come," she answered, and, giving Leslie's little gloved hand an impulsive squeeze, she said, "Good-night," and went away.
Leslie looked after her a minute, half understanding, and then turned to find her brother beside her.
"She thinks I won't want her because she works!" she said. "But I do. I shall."
"Sure you will, kid," said her brother. "Just tell Cloudy about her. She'll fix things. That old party--I mean, the reverend gentleman----"
"Look out, Allison, that isn't any better; and there comes Cloudy. Don't make her feel bad again."
"Well, parson, then--doesn't seem to have much use for a person who's had the misfortune to have her father commit forgery and her mother die of a broken heart, or is it because she has to work her way through college? He may be all right, sister; but I'd bank on that girl's religion over against his any day in the week, Sundays included."
Then Julia Cloud came up the steps, and they went in to a rather dreary evening service with a sparse congregation and a bored-looking choir, who passed notes and giggled during the sermon. Allison and Leslie sat and wondered what kind of a shock it would be to them all if the Great Companion should suddenly become visible in the room. If all that about His being always present was true, it certainly was a startling thing.