CHAPTER IX.

SUNSHINE AND SHADOW.


Mrs. Bradley, the wife of the market gardener, was a kind-hearted
woman, and William having often been sent to her house with shoes, an
acquaintanceship grew up between them, which, our hero found, turned
out most unexpectedly to his advantage.

As she stood or sat in her place at the corner, surrounded by her
fresh vegetables, for which she had always plenty of customers, she
often found herself in want of some one whom she could trust to carry
a bunch of asparagus or a basket of spinach to some purchaser's house.
From what she had seen of William, she was assured he would do an
errand faithfully; and although he could not come regularly, she often
waited for his appearing rather than trust another. For these little
services she always paid him liberally, and had he been less
conscientious than he was, he might have turned this kindness to
considerable advantage; but his conscience told him he must not
neglect his master's business.

He mentioned this to the good woman, who, seeing its propriety, was
careful only to give him such commissions as he could fulfil without
wasting the time belonging to his employer; her good opinion being
only increased by his scrupulous fear of doing wrong.