was floundering uncertainly along
the flooded road.

"What an end to our picnic," declared Peter, disgustedly. "Ha--a
house, as I live! See ahead there."

Through the sheet of rain Nancy made out a low-gabled cottage almost
hidden by the trees.

"It looks deserted," she declared, disappointedly.

"It'll be shelter, anyway. Deserted nothing--hear the dog! When I
stop make a dash for the door."

The dog's bark was by way of a welcome rather than a warning, for, as
he bounded toward the road, his shaggy tail wagged in a most friendly
way. As Nancy, following Peter's command, made a dash for shelter, the
door of the cottage opened hospitably and a little old woman, unmindful
of the fury of the rain, reached out to draw Nancy in.

"Come right in! Bless me, you're soaked." She had a cheery, piping
voice and a way of repeating, "well, well, well," as though everything
on earth was an exciting surprise.

"Won't your young man come in, too. Sit right over here by the fire!
I told sister Janie that I'd light a few sticks of wood to keep it
cheery. It got so dark-like. I'll set the kettle over and have a cup
of tea in the shake of a dog's tail. When it storms in these parts it
_does_ storm, dearie! How wet you are!" She fussed over the fire and
over her kettle and over Nancy's wet blouse. "Now, Janie, isn't it
nice to have folks come here out of the storm?"

Then Nancy, through the gloom of the storm, made out that Janie was
another little old woman sitting in an old arm chair in the window.
Quite unmindful of the storm, she was tranquilly knitting.

"Folks don't come by this road so often," she smiled back.

"Aren't you afraid--sitting there?" Nancy cried. As she spoke there
came a flash of lightning followed almost simultaneously by a roar of
thunder that threatened the weather-beaten walls.

The sister called Janie waited smilingly, her head cocked on one side
as though she enjoyed the storm. "Afraid, honey? Goodness, no.
Saphrony and I've lived through too many of these storms to be afraid!
Isn't the Lord watching over us just like all folks?"

"And didn't He just bring you poor souls here out of the storm?" added
the older woman. "This tea will steep in a minit and I'm goin' to call
that boy in!"

Peter had been trying to fasten a makeshift arrangement that would keep
Nancy's seat dry. He was glad enough to give it up at their hostess'
call. He looked so much like a drowned cat with the wa