rgot that 'ar
pepper-sauce for yer husband."

Mrs. Rylands looked up with piteous contrition. "I really don't know
what's the matter with me. I certainly went into the shop, and had it on
my list,--and--really"--

Jane evidently knew her mistress, and smiled with superior toleration.
"It's kinder bewilderin' goin' in them big shops, and lookin' round them
stuffed shelves." The shop at the cross roads and post-office was 14
x 14, but Jane was nurtured on the plains. "Anyhow," she added
good-humoredly, "the expressman is sure to look in as he goes by, and
you've time to give him the order."

"But is he SURE to come?" asked Mrs. Rylands anxiously. "Mr. Rylands
will be so put out without his pepper-sauce."

"He's sure to come ef he knows you're here. Ye kin always kalkilate on
that."

"Why?" said Mrs. Rylands abstractedly.

"Why? 'cause he just can't keep his eyes off ye! That's why he comes
every day,--'tain't jest for trade!"

This was quite true, not only of the expressman, but of the butcher
and baker, and the "candlestick-maker," had there been so advanced a
vocation at the cross roads. All were equally and curiously attracted
by her picturesque novelty. Mrs. Rylands knew this herself, but without
vanity or coquettishness. Possibly that was why the other woman told
her. She only slightly deepened the lines of discontent in her cheek and
said abstractedly, "Well, when he comes, YOU ask him."

She dried her shoes, put on a pair of slippers that had a faded splendor
about them, and went up to her bedroom. Here she hesitated for some time
between the sewing-machine and her knitting-needles, but finally settled
upon the latter, and a pair of socks for her husband which she had begun
a year ago. But she presently despaired of finishing them before
he returned, three hours hence, and so applied herself to the
sewing-machine. For a little while its singing hum was heard between the
blasts that shook the house, but the thread presently snapped, and the
machine was put aside somewhat impatiently, with a discontented drawing
of the lines around her handsome mouth. Then she began to "tidy" the
room, putting a great many things away and bringing out a great many
more, a process that was necessarily slow, owing to her falling into
attitudes of minute inspection of certain articles of dress, with
intervals of trying them on, and observing their effect in her mirror.
This kind of interruption also occurred while she was putt