n their way."

The store had been used for a meat-shop and green-grocery. Kit had sold
the fixtures when she had been in sore need of money, so now it was a
great bare room, with one large window and two small ones.

"Sure I can scrub an' whitewash it myself, an' put clean curtains to the
windows. And you're very good to think of such a thing, Miss Barry,--may
the saints bless you! An' if Mr. Darcy will see to getting what is
wanted, I'll do my very best to please you all."

Sylvie blushed a little at taking the credit, but it was Jack's wish.
Jack had a small portico built over the door-way, to keep out the cold
in winter, and a neat sign put up, with but two words,--"Coffee-House."
Sylvie and Miss Morgan ordered some cheap, small tables, some plain
wooden chairs, and found two comfortable, old-fashioned, wooden settles.
Then she collected old magazines and illustrated papers, and a rack was
put up at one side for them. All the tables were covered with light
marbled rubber-cloth, so that they would be kept fresh and sweet. The
sugar and coffee were forthcoming. Kit could roast coffee to a turn. One
Thursday evening the place was lighted up, and a few guests asked in;
and the next day the fame of Kit Connelly's coffee-house began. Half the
folks in Yerbury knew her and Dennis.

Rose Connelly, who was just seventeen, a nice fresh-looking girl, was to
keep the books, and take the money as she was quite a scholar. Several
of the mill-hands went over immediately for their lunches. Such splendid
wheat, rye, and Graham bread, spread already, and brought on a clean
plate! A nice bite for three cents, and a solid meal for six. Sylvie was
to go down now and then, of a morning, to keep matters straight.

"There is one entering-wedge in the cause of temperance," she remarked,
in her piquant way. "Only, Jack, it does not seem quite right for us
women to take the credit of it. I confess, among all my plans, there has
been nothing like this."

"I would rather not be openly connected with it," and Jack made a queer
little grimace. "By and by I may have to do some real fighting on my own
account, and I don't want too many vulnerable points. Human nature is
rather queer and cranky, as you have, no doubt, observed by this time."

"But I do not see why any one should want to fight against your good
work, Jack," said Sylvie, with an indignant flush. "I am sure it is no
light undertaking to provide all these people with work; and ever