s of linen that she was adorning with exquisitely
embroidered initials. She looked up, but continued her work without
speaking.

"Hello, Janet. Why aren't you at the movies this evening?"

"They're showing a gripping picture of purple passion," replied Miss
Mackay succinctly. She snipped a thread, deftly inserted fresh thread
in her needle and added casually, "It's a small world."

This was a sample of Janet's cautious, crab-like approach to some topic
of interest. Miss Ocky recognized it and soon had encouraged her to
persevere.

"A great thought, Janet, but scarcely a new one. What brought it to
your mind?"

"A piece of news that Bates was telling me over our supper. He got it
this afternoon from the postman. Did ye know that old Simon's kitchen
garden had been looted the other night?"

"No."

"It was. The fellow took a few tomatoes and did a wee bit damage with
his big feet. Old Simon found out who it was, and he had him arrested."

"Humph. He would. The man was probably hungry, poor devil."

"Aye; so they're saying in the town. No matter. Old Simon appeared
against him this morning in court and they sent him to the lock-up for
thirty days."

"Ninety meals! It might be worse. Who was it?"

"A young fellow named Charlie Maxon."

"Charlie Maxon! Well, he'll be no loss to the community for a month!"

"Aye?" Janet looked up sharply from her work. "Ye know him?"

"He's one of the leaders of the strike. I've spoken with him once or
twice. A bad egg, I should think."

"Aye, and his parents before him," said Janet Mackay. "They used to
live around the corner from me in Aberdeen. I can remember Charlie as
a bairn, and even then he was always into mischief. He's no whit
better now."

"And he turns up again in this little out-of-the-way place in America!
I see now why you say the world's a small one. Queer, but it's the way
things sometimes happen. Are you sure it's the same?"

"Aye. Three times I've seen him in town and thought his face familiar,
he looks so like his father. When Bates spoke his name, I knew."

"Well, I take it you won't remind him of the old times in bonnie
Scotland!"

"No fear!" said the older woman promptly. Then she looked keenly at
her mistress. "Aren't ye up early to-night?"

"Simon is having a row with Copley in the study." Miss Ocky shrugged
her shoulders and made a grimace. "I didn't care to listen any longer."

"He's having a row with the boy,