t too much from it, nor be
so bitterly disappointed at its inevitable failures. She was quieter
and graver, but surely no fault was to be found with that, seeing there
had been sickness and anxiety in the house.

She was cheerful and busy too, Mrs Snow saw, accomplishing wonderful
things in the way of learning to do housework, and dairy work, under the
direction of Hannah, and comporting herself generally in a way that was
winning the good opinion of that experienced and rather exacting
housekeeper. She took great interest in out-of-door affairs, going
daily with the deacon to the high sheep pasture, or to the clearing
beyond the swamp, or wherever else his oversight of farming matters led
him, which ought to have contented Mr Snow, his wife thought, and which
might have done so if he had been quite sure that her heart was in it
all.

By and by Mrs Snow wearied a little for the mirthfulness and laughter
that had sometimes needed to be gently checked during her former visit.
More than once, too, she fancied she saw a wistful look in Graeme's eyes
as they followed her sister's movements, and she had much ado to keep
from troubling herself about them both.

They were sitting one day together in the south room which looked out
over the garden and the orchard and the pond beyond. Rose was in the
garden, walking listlessly up and down the long paths between the
flower-beds, and Mrs Snow, as she watched her, wondered within herself
whether this would be a good time to speak to Graeme about her sister.
Before she had time to decide, however, they were startled by Hannah's
voice coming round the corner--

"Rose," it said, "hadn't you just as leives do your walking right
straight ahead? 'Cause, if you had, you might take a pitcher and go
over to Emily's and borrow some yeast. I don't calculate, as a general
thing, to get out of yeast, or any thing else, but the cat's been and
keeled the jug right down, and spilled the last drop, and I want a
little to set some more to rising."

"Hannah," said Rose, with a penitent face, "I am afraid it was my fault.
I left the jug on the corner of the shelf, instead of putting it away
as I ought. I am very sorry."

"Well, I thought pretty likely it might be you, seeing it wasn't me,"
said Hannah, grimly. "That jug has held the yeast in this house since
Grandma Snow's time, and now it's broke to forty pieces."

"Oh, I am so sorry!" said Rose.

"Well, I guess it don't matter a grea