Mr. Udell will be asking me to stay away from the
office."
"Oh, we're not rushed today," said Dick, hastily, "and I'll make up
all lost time."
"So you consider this lost time, do you?" with a quick little bow.
"Thank you, then it's surely time for me to go;" and she turned to
leave the room, but Dick checked her.
"Oh, Miss Goodrich, you know I did not mean that." Something in his
voice made her eyes drop as he added, "You don't know how much I enjoy
talking with you; not that I have had many such pleasures though, but
just a word helps me more than I can say." He stopped, because he dare
not go farther, and wondered at himself that he had said even so much.
"Do you really mean, Mr. Falkner, that you care at all for my
friendship?"
"More than the friendship of any one in the world," he replied,
earnestly.
"Why?"
Dick was startled and turned away his head lest his eyes reveal too
much. "Because," he said slowly, "your friendship is good for me and
makes me want to do great things."
"And yet, if I were not a member of the church you would not think
that way."
"I would think that way, no matter what you were," said Dick.
"You would still value my friendship if I should do some awful wicked
thing?" she asked. "Suppose I should leave the church, or run away,
or steal, or kill somebody, or do something real terrible?"
Dick smiled and shook his head. "Nothing you could ever do would make
me change. But tell me," he added; "you're not thinking of giving up
your church work, are you?"
"Why do you ask?" said she quickly.
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