"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?"