ansform the
smooth beauty of Lena's features to this semblance of failure which they
so closely resembled. Mrs. Quincy's face was like a grain field over
which the storms had swept, changing what was its glory to a horror.

The scarlet-faced Sarah hustled tub and chair and dripping garments
kitchen-ward. The visitor took up her task of cheerfulness, and Mrs.
Quincy cackled and grumbled to her heart's content.

"Lena'd be 'shamed to death if she knew you'd caught me doin' my wash,"
she whined. "I hope you won't tell her. She can come down on me pretty
hard sometimes, I tell you."

"Oh, I won't tell," Mrs. Lenox laughed. "I only wish you had let me
help. I was thinking what fun it must be--with a maid to hold the soap.
It took me back to nursery days. I used to love to wash dolls' clothes."

"I don't do it for fun," Mrs. Quincy snapped. "But I ain't provided with
a servant that's worth her salt. If anybody's dependent, like I am, on a
whipper-snapper son-inlaw, that ain't got affection enough for me to
spend an hour a week with me--why, I guess I have to pinch and scrape
wherever I can. No knowin' when I'll git more. I've worked hard all my
life for other folks, Mrs. Lenox. You can see by my hands how I've
worked. And what do I get for it? A stranger like you is kinder to me
than my own flesh and blood. And I know well enough that if Richard
Percival throws me a crust, it's only because he would be ashamed to
have folks say his mother-in-law was starving. Oh, I let him know that I
see through him whenever he comes near me--which ain't very often. And
Lena goes days and days and never comes to see me." Her voice and her
garrulity were rising, but here a sob gave pause, and Mrs. Lenox rushed
in, repressing an impulse to say a word on the elementary laws of give
and take in love.

"Well, I think you are very sensible to do the washing. One must have
some occupation to fill the days, mustn't one? And there aren't many
things, when one is tied to the house. If to-morrow is warm, I wonder if
you would feel up to a little drive in the afternoon?"

"I shouldn't be surprised if I would."

"And do you care for reading? I've brought you a rather clever little
story. I see you have all the magazines."

"Yes, Lena sends 'em. She thinks they'll occupy me and save her the
trouble of comin' herself. But, good land, I don't care for 'em beyond
lookin' at the pictures and the advertisements--except the _Ladies' Home
Companion_. Th