Kates Ordeal | Page 3

just making yourself ill with the worry."
"I don't see why mother should worry so much about it," said Kate, petulantly.
Her aunt looked at her for a minute in silence, and then said, "Well, she cannot expect to keep you tied to her apron-string all your life. Of course, if you could get a quiet place near home it would be better;" for Aunt Ellen at that moment was asking herself the same question that Esther Odell had asked her schoolfellows an hour or two before, "Is Katie a pretty girl?" and all at once a doubt had crept into her mind about the wisdom of sending her into the midst of unknown temptations. But she put it down at once, seeing that her sister had at last decided the matter. "Of course, Kate will be careful and steady, and not make any chance acquaintances," she said, answering her own thoughts.
"Yes, yes; it is not that I am afraid of her," said the widow, hastily.
"And Aunt Ellen will always be here to take care of you," said Kate. "I would not think of going so far away, if you had to be left alone."
"Yes, yes, my dear; I was not thinking of myself at all in the matter, although I shall miss you terribly, but--but--"
"There, suppose you get your mother a cup of tea as quickly as you can, Kate, that is what she wants," interrupted Aunt Ellen; and Kate, feeling very uncomfortable, went to take her things off and get tea ready.
Mrs. Haydon was better after tea, and could talk more cheerfully of Kate leaving home. She knew very little of London herself, except what she had heard from her brother, and very little of her brother's family. He had several grown-up sons and daughters, and his wife had been dead some years. Beyond these bare facts, she knew very little about them, so that Kate would be going among comparative strangers, and it was this that had troubled the widow most.
"You shall write to your cousin to-morrow morning, Katie, and I will write to your uncle, it will be better to settle this at once, I suppose."
"Yes, mother, I am sure it will--not that I want to leave you, mother, I shall miss you dreadfully, I know, but then I may never have such a chance as this again."
"True, Kate; but still I cannot help wishing it was to some nice nursery you were going instead of a shop."
"But then it is only a baker's shop, mother," said Kate.
"Yes, yes; but it's so far away from home; if you could come to me for the Sundays, Kate, or if I knew anything of your cousin Marion, it would be different--I should feel more easy about you."
"Oh, mother, why need you feel uneasy. Surely you do not think I should do anything wicked?" exclaimed Kate.
"No, no, my child. I hope that which you have learned at Sunday school will not be so easily forgotten. Kate, you must find out a Bible-class as soon as you get there, even if your cousins do not go to Sunday school."
"But I should think they did, mother. Marion is only a year or two older than me, and Isabel younger, so that I should think they would go."
"I don't know, my dear, I never heard that they went to a Sunday school, but I hope they do for your sake. Katie dear, you must ask that God will take care of you every moment, and pray as you never did before, 'lead me not into temptation.'"
"Yes, mother," murmured Kate hanging down her head, and almost wishing now that she had delivered her teacher's message; for how could she ask God to keep her out of temptation, when she was taking the matter into her own hands determined to have her own way at all costs?
CHAPTER II.
DID SHE FORGET?
"Katie Haydon is going to London, ma'am. Did she tell you on Sunday?" The speaker was Esther Odell, who could think of nothing else but her schoolfellow's good fortune, and, meeting her teacher later in the week, hastened to impart the important news to her.
Miss Eldon looked surprised and a little disappointed, for she had heard of an excellent opening for Kate, in the nursery of a lady not far off, who needed a bright, clever girl, able to assist the nurse sometimes with the one child, and also learn to wait upon the young ladies who were growing up. Such a nice place as this was not often to be met with, and Miss Eldon had waited at home all day on Monday, expecting Mrs. Haydon to call about it. She was on her way there now, thinking she must be ill, or something had happened; she could hardly think Kate had forgotten her message, for