But Lynn was shaking her head decidedly: "I couldn't possibly spare a minute, thank you. I'm only out on an
errand now. I'm needed every instant at the Home!"
"For mercy sake! Hire someone to take your place then. I want you.
You'll be quite a sensation I assure you. Don't worry about clothes, if
you haven't anything along. You can wear one of my evening dresses.
We're almost of a size."
"No," said Lynn smiling, "It simply isn't possible. And anyway, don't
you remember Sabbath Valley? I don't go out to play Sunday nights you
know."
"Oh, but this is New York! You can't bring Sabbath Valley notions into
New York."
Lynn smiled again: "You can if they are a part of you," she said, "Come in and see how
nicely I'm fixed."
Opal looked up at the beautiful building before which they were
stopping.
"Why, where is this?" she asked astonished, "I thought you were down in
the slums somewhere."
"This is a Home for little orphan children kept up by the Salvation
Army. Come in a minute and see it."
Following a whim of curiosity Opal came in, and was led down a long
hall to a great room where were a hundred tiny children sitting on
little chairs in a big circle playing kindergarten games. The children
were dressed in neat pretty frocks such as any beloved children would
wear, with bright hair ribbons and neckties, and each with an
individuality of its own. The room was sunny and bright, with a great
playhouse at one end, with real windows and furniture in it and all
sorts of toboggan slides and swings and kiddy cars and everything to
delight the soul of a child. On a wide space between two windows
painted on the plaster in soft wonderful coloring blended into the gray
tint of the wall, there glowed a life size painting of the Christ
surrounded by little children, climbing upon His knees and listening to
Him as He smiled and talked to them.
Opal paused in the doorway and looked at the picture first, shyly,
shamedly, as though it were no place for her to enter, then curiously
at the little children, with a kind of wistful yearning, as if here
were something she had missed of her own fault. Lynn called out a
charming baby and made her shake hands and bow and say a few listing
smiling words. Opal turned to Lynn with a strangely subdued look and
spoke in a moved tone: "I guess you're right," she said, "You wouldn't fit at my company.
You're different! But some day I'm coming after you and bring you home
all by yourself for a little while. I want to find out what it is you
have that I need."