tt knew what she said an' looked at her
with contempt, an' then she give a glance at me an' closed up her eyes
as if 't was for the last time. I know she felt it."

Sarah Ellen Dow was more and more excited by a sense of bitter
grievance. Her rule of the afflicted household had evidently been
interfered with; she was not accustomed to be ignored and set aside at
such times. Her simple nature and uncommon ability found satisfaction
in the exercise of authority, but she had now left her post feeling
hurt and wronged, besides knowing something of the pain of honest
affliction.

"If it hadn't been for esteemin' Sister Barsett as I always have done,
I should have told 'em no, an' held to it, when they asked me to come
back an' watch to-night. 'T ain't for none o' their sakes, but Sister
Barsett was a good friend to me in her way." Sarah Ellen broke down
once more, and felt in her bundle again hastily, but the handkerchief
was again elusive, while a small object fell out upon the doorstep
with a bounce.

"'T ain't nothin' but a little taste-cake I spared out o' the loaf I
baked this mornin'," she explained, with a blush. "I was so shoved out
that I seemed to want to turn my hand to somethin' useful an' feel I
was still doin' for Sister Barsett. Try a little piece, won't you,
Mis' Crane? I thought it seemed light an' good."

They shared the taste-cake with serious enjoyment, and pronounced it
very good indeed when they had finished and shaken the crumbs out of
their laps. "There's nobody but you shall come an' do for me at the
last, if I can have my way about things," said Mercy Crane
impulsively. She meant it for a tribute to Miss Dow's character and
general ability, and as such it was meekly accepted.

"You're a younger person than I be, an' less wore," said Sarah Ellen,
but she felt better now that she had rested, and her conversational
powers seemed to be refreshed by her share of the little cake. "Doctor
Bangs has behaved real pretty, I can say that," she continued
presently in a mournful tone.

"Heretofore, in the sickness of Sister Barsett, I have always felt to
hope certain that she would survive; she's recovered from a sight o'
things in her day. She has been the first to have all the new diseases
that's visited this region. I know she had the spinal mergeetis months
before there was any other case about," observed Mrs. Crane with
satisfaction.

"An' the new throat troubles, all of 'em," agreed Sarah Ellen; "