rty work. It was in what I should call
dreary Sunday order; which means, order without life. The very chairs
and tables seemed to say forlornly that they had nothing to do. Not so
much as an open book proclaimed that the mistress of the place was any
better off. However, she had other resources; for even as the minister
came in from the snow, and Diana from up-stairs, Mrs. Starling herself
made her appearance from the outer kitchen with a pan of potatoes in
her hand.

Mrs. Starling liked neither to be surprised, nor to seem so. Moreover,
from the outer kitchen door she had seen Prince and the sleigh going to
the barn, and seen, too, who was driving him. With the cunning of an
Indian, she had made a sudden tremendous leap to conclusions; how
arrived at, I cannot say; there is a faculty in some natures that is
very like a power of intuition. So she came in now with a manner that
was undeclarative of anything but grimness; gave no sign of either
surprise or curiosity; vouchsafed the minister only a scant little nod
of welcome, and to Diana scarce a look; and set her pan of potatoes on
the table, while she went into the pantry for a knife.

"Do you want those peeled, mother?" Diana asked.

"Must have something for supper, I suppose."

"Shall I do it?"

"No. I guess you've done enough for one day."

"_I_ have," said Mr. Masters. "And if you had driven these three miles
in the snow, you would know it. May I have some supper, Mrs. Starling?"

"There'll be enough, I guess," said the mistress of the house, with her
knife flying round the potato in hand in a way that showed both
practice and energy. Then presently, with a scarce perceptible glance
up at her daughter, she added,

"Where have you been?"

"To church, mother."

"To church!"--scornfully. "What did you do there?"

"She heard preaching," said the minister, in that very quiet and
composed way of his, which it was difficult to fight against. Few
people ever tried; if any one could, it was Mrs. Starling.

"I guess there warn't many that had the privilege?" she said
inquiringly.

"Not many," said the minister. "I never had a smaller audience--in
church--to preach to."

"Folks had better be at home such a day, and preach to themselves."

"I quite agree with you. So I brought Diana back as soon as I could.
But we have been two hours on the way."

Mrs. Starling's knife flew round the potatoes; her tongue was silent.
Diana began to set the table. Sitting by