"I'm afraid I've offended you," she began, plaintively. "I didn't mean to speak slightingly of your church, and I'm—sorry—"
"Don't be troubled, Jennie, dear; I am not offended," said Katherine, smiling reassuringly. "Of course, you understand that, to me, our service is very beautiful and sacred. I would dearly love to have you go with me in a proper way; but if you do not like to ask permission you can wait until vacation, when you will not be hampered by school rules."
"All right; perhaps—I will," returned Jennie, with a sly smile; then, with a friendly "good-night," she went away, and Katherine thought no more of the matter at that time.
Half an hour later the nine o'clock bell rang and she repaired at once to Miss Reynolds' room. She found her teacher in bed, looking flushed and feverish, her throat badly swollen and swathed in flannels, while she was scarcely able to speak aloud.
She smiled a welcome and held out her hand to the girl, who clasped it fondly as she sat down beside her.
"I suppose you would say 'it is nothing,'" whispered the woman, a little gleam of laughter in her eyes, notwithstanding her evident suffering.
"No, I should say nothing of the kind to you," said Katherine, gravely. "But I hoped that I should find you better."
"No, Kathie"—a fond way she had adopted of late when addressing her—"I have been growing steadily worse since last night. This afternoon I have been very ill, and Prof. Seabrook sent me word by his wife, to-night, that if I am not better by morning he will call a physician upon his own responsibility. I don't want a doctor," she went on, after resting a moment, "for, since having those talks with you and learning something of your faith, I find myself shrinking from medical treatment."
Katherine glanced involuntarily at the array of bottles on the table near her, and Miss Reynolds, observing it, smiled.
"True," she said, "I have been dosing myself with every remedy that I could think of, while 'halting between two opinions'; but nothing does any good, and I have come to the end of my rope, so to speak. That is why I have sent for you, Kathie—to ask you to treat me your way."