“Yes,” said Samuel. “You've heard of her?”
“I've seen her!” exclaimed Sophie eagerly. “Twice!”
“You don't mean it,” he said.
“Yes. Once she came to our church festival at Christmas.”
“Does she belong to your church?”
“It's the mission. Great folks like her wouldn't want us in the church with them. She goes to St. Matthew's, you know—up there on the hill. But she came to the festival at the mission and helped to give out the presents. And she was dressed all in red—something filmy and soft, like you'd see in a dream. And, oh, Samuel—she was so beautiful! She had a rose in her hair—and such a sweet perfume—you could hardly bear it! And she stood there and smiled at all the children and gave them the presents. She gave me mine, and it was like seeing a princess. I wanted to fall down and kiss her feet.”
“Yes,” said Samuel understandingly.
“And to think that you've met her!” cried Sophie in ecstasy. “And talked with her! Oh, how could you do it?”
“I—I don't think I did it very well,” said Samuel.
“What did you say to her?”