phia I'm going to, and I'll
write you as soon's I know. But I count on you to stay."

"Yes, I'll stay."

Miss Mary forced the words harshly and it seemed that they would tear
her lips, so hard they came. But they came, and they sufficed for Mrs.
Meeker, who went out of her solitary lodger's life as quickly as she
had come into it, for Miss Mary never saw her again.

On that day she dressed herself slowly, and with a certain clumsiness,
took her little shopping bag and bought, with economy and taste, a very
fair outfit of simple clothing for the seventy dollars she had gained
on the strength of the peddler of embroideries; she passed the
peddler's very shop on her way. Underwear, a black dress, rubber
overshoes and a plain umbrella--nothing was forgotten.

"When my money is all gone, I will begin to sell the jewelry," she
thought, for she knew that she could live comfortably for the rest of
her life on less than the value of the emeralds and diamonds. She did
her shopping in a public victoria and brought the parcels home in it:
it was her only extravagance that day.

As she got out at the door of the little faded house and paid the
driver, it occurred to her that she had left it unlocked during her
absence, and in her remorse over this and the bustle of going to the
strange dining-room for luncheon, whither she was summoned by a
slatternly waitress, she forgot completely that on this day she had
sworn to stay alone in her room, to conceal from strangers her malady
of melancholy dumbness.

"But I'm _not_ that way--I'm _not_!" she whispered to herself in
amazement, "why, I talked to the clerks all the morning!" And so she
had, and none of the dozen at Mrs. Palmer's table that noon remarked
anything further than that Miss Merry seemed a quiet, shy sort of
person with a tendency to vagueness and little idea of passing the
butter dish.

She sorted and arranged her purchases all the afternoon; the little
roll of chamois-skin she kept carefully in the wrist-bag which never
left her arm.

At dinner Mrs. Palmer took her aside and with the touch on her arm Miss
Mary's blood turned to water. "She knows about me!" she thought and
nearly fell to the ground from weakness.

"I'm sorry I startled you," said Mrs. Palmer, "Mrs. Meeker said you
weren't any too strong, I remember. I only wanted to say that I've
sent three more roomers over to your house--she'll be only too glad, I
know. You don't mind, Miss Merry?"

"No