re. Tell Mrs.
Candy I can serve her with this if she prefers."

"I want a loaf of bread too, if you please."

"Baking failed?" said Mr. Sample. "Here, Jem, give this little girl a
loaf."

He himself went to attend another customer, so Matilda paid for her
purchases without any more questions being asked her. She went to
another store for a little butter, and there also laid in a few
herrings; and then, with a full basket and a light heart, took the way
to Lilac Lane.

CHAPTER III.

Mrs. Eldridge was as she had left her yesterday; a trifle more forlorn,
perhaps. The afternoon being bright and sunny, made everything in the
house look more grimy and dusty for the contrast. Matilda shrank from
having anything to do with it. But yet, the consciousness that she
carried a basket of comfort on her arm was a great help.

"Good morning, Mrs. Eldridge; how do you do?" she said, cheerily.

"Is it that little gal?"

"Yes, it is I, Mrs. Eldridge. I said I would come back. How do you do,
to-day?"

"I'm most dead," said the poor woman. Matilda was startled; but looking
again, could not see that her face threatened anything like it. She
rather thought Mrs. Eldridge was tired of life; and she did not wonder.

"You don't feel ill, do you?"

"No," the woman said, with a long drawn sigh. "There ain't no sickness
got hold o' me yet. There's no one as 'll care when it comes."

"Would you like a cup of tea this afternoon?"

"Tea?" said the poor woman, "I don't have no tea, child. Tea's for the
folks as has money, or somebody to care for 'em."

"But I care for you," said Matilda, gently. "And the Lord Jesus cares.
And He gave me the money to get some tea, and I've got it. Now I'm
going to make a fire in the stove. Is there any wood anywhere?"

"Fire?" said Mrs. Eldridge.

"Yes. To boil the kettle, you know. Is there any wood anywhere?"

"Have you got some tea?"

"Yes, and now I want to make the kettle boil. Where can I get some
wood?"

"Kettle?" said the old woman. "I hain't no kettle."

"No tea-kettle?"

"No. It's gone. There ain't none."

"What is there, then, that I can boil some water in?"

"There's a skillet down in there," said Mrs. Eldridge, pointing to the
under part of the corner cupboard which Matilda had looked into the day
before. She went now to explore what remained. The lower part had once
been used, it seemed, for pots and kettles and stove furniture. At
least it looked black enough; and an