d on the surface. There was enough
appearing on the surface to make him uneasy; and he paid no attention
to Miss Collins, who brought in the supper and bustled about rather
more than was necessary.

"Don't ring the bell, Jemima," Mr. Masters said. "Mrs. Masters is not
coming down."

Miss Collins went on to make the tea. That was always Diana's business.

"What ails her?" she asked abruptly.

"You ought to know," said the minister. "What did she complain of."

"Complain!" echoed the handmaiden. "She was as well as you be, not five
minutes afore you come in."

"How do you know?"

"Guess I had ought to! Why, she was in the kitchen talkin' and
fiddle-faddlin' with them eggs; she thinks I ain't up to 'em. There
warn't nothin' on earth the matter with her then. She had sot the table
in here and fixed up the fire, and then she come in to the kitchen and
went to work at the supper. There ain't never nothin' the matter with
her."

The minister made no sort of remark, nor put any further inquiry, nor
looked even curious, Miss Collins, however, _did_. Her brain got into a
sudden confusion of possibilities. Pouring out the tea, she stood by
the table reflecting what she should say next.

"I guess she's mad at me," she began slowly. "Or maybe she's afeard
you'll be mad with her. La! 'tain't nothin'. I told her, you'd never be
jealous. 'Tain't no harm for a girl to have two beaus, is it?"

The minister gave her a quick look from under his brows, and replied
calmly that he "supposed not."

"Wall, I told her so; and now she's put out 'cause I knowed o' them
letters. La, folks that has the post office can't help but know more o'
what concerns their fellow-creatures than other folks doos. I handled
them myself, you see, and handed them out; leastways two o' them; that
warn't no fault o' mine nor of anybody's. La, she needn't to mind!"

"How much tea did you put in, Jemima?"

"I don't know, Mr. Masters. I put in a pinch. Mrs. Masters had ought to
ha' been here to make it herself. She knows how you like it."

"I like more than such a pinch as this was. If you will empty the
tea-pot, I will make a cup for myself. That will do, thank you."

Left alone, Mr. Masters sat for a little while with his head on his
hand, neglecting the supper. Then he roused himself and went on to make
some fresh tea. And very carefully and nicely he made it, poured out a
cup and prepared it, put it on a little tray then, and carried it
steaming a