how old he
is, for one thing; and who his father and mother were; and where he came
from in the first place, and what he lives on, for 'tain't our salary, I
know that; he's given away more'n half of it a'ready--right here in the
village. I've said to my husband, forty times, if I've said it once, 'I
declare, I've a great mind to ask him myself, straight out, just to see
what he'll say.'"

"And why not?" asked a voice, pleasantly, behind her.

Mr. Armstrong had come in, unheard by the lady in her own rush of words,
and had approached too near, as this suddenly ceased, to be able to
escape again unnoticed.

Mis' Battis told Luther Goodell afterwards, that she "jest looked in
from the next room, at that, and if ever a woman felt cheap--all
over--and as if she hadn't a right to her own toes and fingers, and as
if every thread and stitch on her turned mean, all at once--it was Mrs.
Gimp, that minit!"

"Has Faith returned?" Mr. Armstrong asked, of Mrs. Gartney, after a
little pause in which Mrs. Gimp showed no disposition to develop into
deed her forty-times declared "great mind."

"I think not. She said she would remain an hour or two with Glory, and
help her to arrange those matters she came in, this morning, to ask us
about."

"I will walk over."

And the minister took his hat again, and with a bow to the two ladies,
passed out, and across the lane.

"Faith!" ejaculated the village matron, her courage and her mind to
meddle returning. "Well, that's intimate!"

It might as well be done now, as at any time. Mr. Armstrong, himself,
had heedlessly precipitated the occasion. It had only been, among them,
a question of how and when. There was nothing to conceal.

"Yes," replied Mrs. Gartney, quietly. "They will be married by and by."

"Did she go out the door, ma'am? Or has she melted down into the carpet?
'Cause, I _have_ heerd of people sinkin' right through the floor," said
Mis' Battis, who "jest looked in" a second time, as the bewildered
visitor receded.

* * * * *

The pleasant autumn months, mellowing and brightening all things, seemed
also to soften and gild their memories of the life that had ended,
ripely and beautifully, among them.

Glory, after the first overwhelm of astonishment at what had befallen
her--made fully to understand that which she had a right, and was in
duty bound to do--entered upon the preparations for her work with the
same unaffected readiness with