tinued to mend so rapidly that one
afternoon, when twilight was deepening into purple, Melvina proposed to
attempt the experiment of moving the invalid.

"How'd you like to try settin' up a spell to-night?" she inquired without
preamble. "I'll get a chair ready, and fix you in it, an' shove you over
to the window so'st you can look out. There ain't much to see, to be sure;
still the change will rest you, an' mebbe you'll sleep better after it."

Ellen did not demur. Melvina had proved herself a trustworthy pilot and
demonstrated that her suggestions were worth considering.

"All right," she replied. "Only hadn't you better call Lucy?"

"What for?"

"To help you."

A contemptuous smile curled Melvina's lips.

"Bless your soul an' body, I've no need of help," was her answer. "You
don't weigh nothin', an' even if you did, I've moved so many folks that I
wouldn't hesitate. You ain't afraid, are you?"

"Mercy, no."

"There's no cause for you to be," went on the nurse reassuringly. "I know
what I'm about. All you've got to do is to mind what I tell you."

Ellen's jaw squared itself.

"I 'spect that's about all I'll ever do again," she returned in a biting
tone.

The proposed adventure subsequently resolved itself into a much simpler
undertaking than it had promised, for Ellen was light as a feather and
Melvina strong, deft, and experienced. Hence without mishap the invalid
was transferred to the big chair and rolled to the window, where she could
look out on the valley melting into the shadows of evening.

Had she restricted her observations to the scenery she might have returned
to her couch refreshed both in mind and body; but unluckily she chanced to
let her glance wander to the garden, and there an astonishing sight met
her eyes.

In the seclusion of the lilac hedge stood two figures, that of a man and a
woman. The man held in his hand a trowel and was transplanting in the rich
brown soil some tender green things which the woman was handing him from a
basket. The presence of a stranger who was apparently so much at home
within her boundaries was in itself sufficient to arouse Ellen's
curiosity; but what whetted curiosity to indignation was the manner in
which the pair were performing the simple task. Even a person blind to
romance and deaf to sentiment could not help realizing that the planting
was a very immaterial part of the pastoral tableau, and there was much
more significance in the drama than the s