needed, and meanwhile
kept a wary eye upon the camphor bottle, always within reach for the
benefit of sensitive patrons likely to succumb to the ordeal of
fitting. To judge from young Mrs. Thompson's colorless face, she might
need it at any moment.

"I own I kind of interfered with what was none of my business," Persis
acknowledged with as pleasing a frankness as if such interferences were
not in line with her normal activities. "But I kind of worried over
having a love-letter wandering around that way and not getting where it
belonged. That might make lots of trouble."

"But who was 'Her'?" demanded young Mrs. Thompson wildly. And Persis,
whose sense of responsibility for her kind extended even to her unknown
correspondents, looked grave as she answered.

"Dearie, I don't know. But I'm sure of one thing, that it wasn't you.
Here's his letter to me, madder'n a wet hen, he was, too. And here's
hers. You see it's the same writing as the one your husband has; I'm
glad she wrote her name right out plain, because I said particular that
the 'Enid' would be enough."

Then Persis dropped both letters and caught Mrs. Thompson in her arms.
The younger woman was small and slender, and under the stress of
excitement Persis lifted her to the couch as easily as if she had been
a child. Then she sprinkled the white face with water from the pitcher
on the table and brought the camphor bottle into play, all the time
murmuring words of endearment and sympathy whose restorative effect was
possibly not second to that of her other remedies. Young Mrs. Thompson
returned to consciousness to hear herself called a "lamb" and a "poor
dear." She opened her heavy eyes and gave back a rapturous smile to
the other woman's comprehending gaze.

"I--I don't believe I ever was so happy," murmured young Mrs. Thompson.
"Then he did leave it in his pocket just for a joke. And, oh, dear
Miss Dale, if it's a girl I'm going to call her Persis."

CHAPTER XIV

AN ACQUISITION

The Dale homestead was undergoing repairs. For years Persis had
patched up the roof when it leaked and papered with her own hands such
rooms as had become too dingy to be longer tolerated. Now she was
giving free rein to her exuberant fancy in the matter of improvements.
A telephone had been installed in the house the day following the
communication from the legal advisers of the late Persis Ann Crawford
and this in spite of Joel's passionate protests.

"May