est. I guess I never saw you so fire-red as you are at this minute.
But if that's your idea of having a good time, why, every one to his
taste, as the old woman said when she kissed the cow."

She rose with a dignity that matched Mrs. West's own and moved toward
the door. "Maybe you remember that you had an appointment for a
fitting at two," she suggested coldly, "I brought your dress over, but
of course if you're busy enjoying yourself--"

"Persis Dale," cried Mrs. West, her voice breaking, "I didn't think you
had it in you to be so hard-hearted."

Slowly Persis retraced her steps. Her prostrate friend was weeping.
Large impressive tears rolled slowly over cheeks whose fiery hue
suggested the possibility that each drop might immediately be converted
into steam.

"Mis' West," began Persis in a tone of strained patience, "will you
please tell me if you've taken leave of your senses or what?"

Mrs. West's tears flowed faster. Hysterical tremors agitated the
recumbent mass. "I--I can't get up," she exploded at length, in
seemingly reluctant confidence.

"Can't get up? But how did you get down?"

"Persis--I--I was rolling."

"Rolling!"

"To reduce, Persis. My cousin Aggie said she took off twenty pounds in
ten weeks rolling half an hour a day. And I thought it was worth
trying."

Persis suddenly averted her face.

"Don't laugh, Persis. It may be funny for a man to be fat, but it's a
tragedy for a woman. I've been thinking how Annabel Sinclair will look
at that wedding, with a figure like a girl of twenty-one, and it didn't
seem as if I could stand two hundred and twenty-six. But if rolling's
a cure, I guess I started too late."

"Why can't you get up, Mis' West?" inquired Persis, regarding the
prostrate woman with a becomingly serious countenance. "You haven't
wrenched yourself, anywhere, have you?"

"Not that I know of, Persis. I didn't hear anything snap. I guess I'm
stalled, like a horse. Maybe if I wasn't quite so near the couch I
could manage. If Thad or his father get home before I'm up, I'll never
hear the last of it."

Realizing that her friend's apprehension was well grounded, Persis
brought her strong muscles and resolute will to bear upon the problem.
She had lifted many a sick patient too weak to turn upon his pillow,
and she knew the trick of making every ounce of energy count. Inspired
by her example, Mrs. West put forth all her strength and as a result of
their combined eff