old Bill's--for Sally Ann's children, the mountain
folks, an' the old home town." The Pope opened his eyes and he spoke:

"All of you--nurses an' docs--git out o' here, please." And knowing
that the end was nigh they quietly withdrew.

"Judge, you ain't no actor--you're a ham!"

"Whut you mean, Jim?" asked the judge, for in truth he did not
understand--not just then. The roar of the city rose from below,
but the sunset came through the window as through all windows of
the world. The Pope's hand reached for the judge's hand. His lips
moved and the judge bent low.

"Beat!" whispered the Pope; "beat, by God!
Beat--for--councilman--in--my--own home town." And because
he knew his fellow man, the good and the bad, the Pope passed with
a smile.

THE GODDESS OF HAPPY VALLEY

I

The professor stood at the window of his study waiting for Her to
come home. The wind outside was high and whipped her skirts close
to her magnificent body as, breasting it unconcernedly, she came
with a long, slow stride around a corner down the street. Now, as
always whenever he saw her move, he thought of the line in Virgil,
for even in her walk she showed the goddess. And Juno was her name.

He met her at the door and he did not have to stoop to kiss her. "What
is it, dear?" he said quickly, for deep in her eyes, which looked level
with his, he saw trouble.

She handed him a letter and walked to the window--looking out at the
gathering storm. The letter was from her home away down in the Kentucky
hills--from the Mission teacher in Happy Valley.

There was an epidemic of typhoid down there. It was spreading through
the school and through the hills. They were without nurses or doctors,
and they needed help.

"Too bad, too bad," he murmured, and he turned anxiously.

"I must go," she said, with a catch in her breath. "One cabin is built
above another all the way up the creeks down there. The springs are by
the stream. High water floods all of them, and the infection goes with
the tide. And the poor things don't know--they don't know. Oh, I must go!"

For a moment he was silent, and then he got up and put his arms about her.
He was smiling.

"Then, I'll go with you." She wheeled quickly.

"No, no, no! You can't leave your work, and--remember!"

He did remember how useless it had been to argue with her, and he knew it
was useless now. Moreover, if she was going at all, it was like her to go
at once--like her to go up-stairs