give her the blankets just as if it was a matter of
course that anybody would send things to a sick person."

"Oh yes!" said Willy. "As if you hadn't a pot of jelly to spare and so
sent her these blankets fit for an Emperor on his throne!"

That very evening the reluctant Willy took the blankets to Miss Shott,
for Mrs. Cliff knew it was going to be a very cold night, and she wanted
her to have them as soon as possible.

When Nancy Shott beheld the heavy and beautiful fabrics of fine wool
which Willy spread out upon her bed in order that she might better
examine them, the eyes of the poor old woman flashed with admiring
delight.

"Well," said she, "Sarah Cliff has got a memory!"

"What do you mean?" asked Willy.

"Why, she remembers," said Miss Shott, "that I once joined in to give
her a pair of blankets!"

"Good gracious!" exclaimed Willy, and she was on the point of speaking
her mind in regard to the salient points in the two transactions, but
she refrained. The poor old thing was sick, and she must not say
anything to excite her.

"I suppose," said Miss Shott, after lifting a corner of a blanket and
rubbing and pinching it, "that these are all wool!"

Then Willy thought herself privileged to speak, and for some minutes she
dilated on the merits of those superb blankets, the like of which were
not to be found in the whole State, and, perhaps, not in any State east
of the Rocky Mountains.

"Well," said Miss Shott, "you may tell her that I will not throw her
present back at her as she once threw one back at me! And now that
you're here, Willy Croup, I may as well say to you what I've intended to
say to you the next time I saw you. And that is, that when I was at your
house you told me an out and out falsehood,--I won't use any stronger
word than that,--and how you could sleep after having done it I'm sure I
don't know!"

"Falsehood!" cried Willy. "What do you mean?"

"You told me," said Nancy, "that Mrs. Cliff wasn't goin' to take
boarders,--and now look at those Thorpedykes! Not two days after you
tried to deceive me they went there to board! And now what have you got
to say to that?"

Willy had not a word to say. She sprang to her feet, she glared at the
triumphant woman in the bed, and, turning, went downstairs.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE DAWN OF THE GROVE OF THE INCAS

A man may have command of all the money necessary, and he may have
plenty of knowledge and experience in regard to the various