"Don't be afraid to lean on me." Kate felt the quick warm tears against her eyelids.

"You're very kind," she said, and the quiver in her voice was real.
They walked slowly on, silently.

Katie was trembling now, and in earnest.

"My name is Katherine Jones," she said at last, looking timidly at the girl who was helping her.
It wrought a change.

The girl's mouth closed in a hard line.