"Who generally looks after baby when mother and you go to church?"
"Father, miss."
"That is kind of your father."
Molly nodded, and in a minute abruptly volunteered a startling piece of information.
"Father was drunk last night," she said.
Marian was silent, grieved at the news; shocked that Molly should know her father's weakness, and filled with pity for poor Mrs. Lethbridge.
"Mother cries when father gets drunk," the child continued, with a somewhat wistful look on her pretty face; "and Jim is cross."
"I hear Jim is Mrs. Mugford's errand-boy, now," Marian interposed hastily, feeling she could not discuss the father's sin and its consequences with the child, and desiring to change the conversation; "that is a very good thing for him, I should think."
"He carries big baskets," Molly said, eagerly; "such big baskets! And Mrs. Mugford gives him pennies—lots of pennies!"
"I expect Jim works hard for his pennies, and well deserves them, my dear."