er seat and the consideration of her "sweet."

"She is a wheedling old body," she said to herself, "but I suppose I
ought to give her something extra for that speech."

The next morning Mrs. Tolbridge came into the kitchen. "La Fleur," said
she, "what is the name of that delicious dessert you gave us last night?"

The cook sighed. "She will always call the 'sweet' a dessert," she
thought; and then she answered, "That was Blarney Fluff, ma'am, with
sauce Irlandaise."

Mrs. Tolbridge laughed. "Whatever is its name," she said, "we all thought
it was the sweetest and softest, most delightful thing of the kind we had
ever tasted. Miss Panney was particularly pleased with it."

"I hoped she would be," said La Fleur.

CHAPTER XIX

MISS PANNEY IS "TOOK SUDDEN"

"I have spoken to Mr. Ames about it," said Dr. Tolbridge to Miss Panney,
as two days later they were sitting together in his office, "and we are
both agreed that teachers in Thorbury are like the vines on the gable
ends of our church; they are needed there, but they do not flourish. You
see, so many of our people send their children away to school, that is,
when they are really old enough to learn anything."

"I would do it too, if I had children," said the old lady; "but this is a
matter which rises above the ordinary points of view. I do not believe
that you look at it properly, for if you did you would not sit there and
talk so coolly. Do you appreciate the fact that if Miss Drane does not
soon get something to do, you will be living on soggy, half-baked bread,
greasy fried meat, water-soaked vegetables, and muddy coffee, and every
one of your higher sentiments will be merged in dyspepsia?"

The doctor smiled. "I did not suppose it would be as bad as that," he
said; "but if what you say is true, let us skip about instantly, and do
something."

"That is the sort of action that I am trying to goad you into," said
the old lady.

"Oh, I will do what I can," said the doctor, "but I really think there is
nothing to be done here, and at this season. People do not want teachers
in summer, and I see no promise of a later demand of this sort in
Thorbury. We must try elsewhere."

"Not yet," said the other. "I shall not give up Thorbury yet. It is
easier for us to work for Miss Drane here than anywhere else, because we
are here, and we are not anywhere else. Moreover, she will like to come
here, for then she will not be among strangers; so please let us exh