"Do you know where he is now?" Melina inquired. Then, as Mr. Jones shook his head, she added wistfully, "I do wish he'd come back. Did you know my mother too, Mr. Jones?"
"No," he replied, "I never saw her; she was a Londoner, I've heard."
"She died when I was born," said Melina sadly; "Gran told me that. Oh dear, there's Gran calling me in our yard. I must go!" And with a hurried "Good morning" to husband and wife she hastened away.
That evening Melina asked and received her grandmother's permission to attend Sunday school; but she did not go the next day, because she had some preparations to make. During the ensuing week she darned and cleaned her frock, and washed and combed her hair. She found great difficulty in getting the tangles out of her curls, but she succeeded at last; and the afternoon of the following Sunday found her starting for Sunday school, if not well dressed, at any rate tidy and clean.
She had nearly reached her destination when she heard light, hurrying footsteps behind her, and a minute later she was joined by a little girl of about her own age called Agnes Brown, a schoolfellow of hers. Agnes was a nice-looking child, not pretty, but the owner of a pair of honest grey eyes and a bright smile; she was always well clad, and to-day she was wearing a pretty dark-blue jacket which covered her all over, and a dark-blue felt hat to match.
"Where are you going?" she inquired, as she walked on by her schoolfellow's side.
"To Sunday school," Melina answered, adding with a sudden burst of confidence: "I've never been before and I don't want to go now; I'm only going to please some one who's been kind to me."
"Well, you can come with me," said Agnes; "I'll ask my teacher to have you in her class, and then you can sit next me, you know."
Thus it was arranged. Melina had not had much intercourse with Agnes Brown previously, but Agnes had never laughed at her or teased her like many of her schoolfellows were in the habit of doing, and therefore she was pleased to sit next to her in school, and quite enjoyed the afternoon; for their teacher, a pretty young lady called Miss Seymour, possessed the power of chaining her pupils' attention, and Melina, like the rest, listened to her with the greatest interest.
"You'll come again next Sunday, won't you?" Agnes said, as, school over, she and Melina left together; but at that minute another girl joined them, and whispered to her just loud enough for Melina to hear: