\"i don\"t know who the rest are; and i\"ve been very busy; and, to tell thetruth, i had forgotten my promise--\"

\"yo\" offered it! we asked none of it.\"

\"i had forgotten what i said for the time,\" continued margaret quietly. \"ishould hāve thought of it again when i was less busy. may i go withyou now?\"

bessy gāve a quick glance at margaret\"s face, to see if the wishexpressed was really felt. the sharpness in her eye turned to a wistfullonging as she met margaret\"s soft and friendly gaze.

\"i ha\" none so many to care for me; if yo\" care yo\" may e.

so they walked on together in silence. as they turned up into a smallcourt, opening out of a squalid street, bessy said,\"yo\"ll not be daunted if father\"s at home, and speaks a bit gruffish atfirst. he took a mind to ye, yo\" see, and he thought a deal o\" youring to see us; and just because he liked yo\" he were vexed and putabout.\"

\"don\"t fear, bessy.\"

but nicholas was not at home when they entered. a great slatternly girl,not so old as bessy, but taller and stronger, was busy at the wash-tub,

knocking about the furniture in a rough capable way, but altogethermaking so much noise that margaret shrunk, out of sympathy with poorbessy, who had sat down on the first chair, as if pletely tired outwith her walk. margaret asked the sister for a cup of water, and whileshe ran to fetch it (knocking down the fire-irons, and tumbling over achair in her way), she unloosed bessy\"s bonnet strings, to relieve hercatching breath.

\"do you think such life as this is worth caring for?\" gasped bessy, atlast. margaret did not speak, but held the water to her lips. bessy took along and feverish draught, and then fell back and shut her eyes.

margaret heard her murmur to herself: \"they shall hunger no more,neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor anyheat.\"

margaret bent over and said, \"bessy, don\"t be impatient with your life,whatever it is--or may hāve been. remember who gāve it you, andmade it what it is!\"

she was startled by hearing nicholas speak behind her; he had e inwithout her noticing him.

..**t**

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