ork-hardened though it
was, on his forehead, always had the effect of soothing him.

She went every night and morning to Arthur's house, bringing with her
enough tempting eatables to feed two healthy men; for Martha was
strongly imbued with the idea that to eat well was a sure road to
recovery. In Arthur's case her faith was justified, for on the
morning of the sixth day she found him so much better that she
realized the happy days were over. Arthur no longer needed her.

"My word, Martha," he said, "you have been a welcome sight to me this
week. You are like the good fairy of the tales. I have been noticing
how you have improved the house. Thursa will thank you when she
comes: I am sure you and Thursa will be the greatest pals ever. I was
just thinking, Martha, what a comfortable sort of person you are
anyway. You do know how to make people feel easy in their minds. It
is wonderful. I never saw any one like you in that way."

Any person looking at Martha then would not have called her a plain
girl, so radiant did her face become at these words of praise.

"It's my only gift," she said with her slow smile. "I cannot sing or
talk or look nice. I can only bake and scrub and sew and keep things
tidy."

"Well, that is a gift, I tell you, a real good one. People who talk
sometimes talk too much, and you can't live on singing, you know,
though it is one of the greatest gifts." He was thinking of Thursa's
chirrupy little treble, which to him was the sweetest music on earth.
"Thursa will brighten us all when she comes. Just to hear her laugh,
Martha, would chase away the blues any day. She has the most adorable
little ways. You do not mind hearing me rave about her, do you,
Martha? You know, you are the only person I can talk to about her,
and when you see her you won't blame me at all."

Martha was putting on her wraps to go home, and fortunately he could
not see her face.

"That's all right, Arthur," she said bravely. "I like to hear you
talk--about her," which came as near to being a deliberate falsehood
as Martha had ever told in all her honest life.

* * *

The arrangements for Arthur's wedding were all made. Thursa was
coming the first week in December and would stay with Martha until
Christmas Day. Arthur's house was not quite ready yet. Martha, glad
to feel that she was of any service to him, made great preparations
for the coming of Thursa.

Her own bedroom, which was to be used by Thursa, was re-papered a