Sara looked at her with suddenly-awakened eyes. Even in her petulance
she was wonderfully pretty, with her great surprised eyes, saucy little
nose, and exquisite coloring; and a sudden sense of her helplessness, if
this little sister should also prove to be vain, and careless of her
good name, came over her with such crushing force that she dropped into
a chair, feeling almost faint for the moment. Molly, frightened at her
sudden pallor, cried out,--
"What is it, Sara? What have I done? Is it such a sin to walk with a
student on the street?"
Sara shook her head helplessly.
"If I could only make you understand, Molly: you _must_ understand!
See here," with intense earnestness, "we are all alone in the world,
Molly, you and Morton and I, all alone, except for a few friends, whose
only interest in us depends upon our worthiness. Don't you see how
careful we must be? We have no home, no money, no anything, except our
good name: we must keep that! Nothing, nothing, must take it from us.
The Bible says it is more precious than rubies, and it is, Molly, it is;
indeed, with us it is everything! If you had a father and mother to back
you, possibly you could make such acquaintances without harm, though it
seems to me a hazardous thing, even then; but now it is absolutely
dangerous! Promise me, Molly, that this shall end it.
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