st in a species of helpless
contemplation, until at last a motion of Susan's, directed towards the
ordering of an unsightly fold in the wide smoothness of the
counterpane, led to her bending herself to do a similar kindness upon
her side of the bed. The action resulted in a slight change in her
expression which Susan's watchfulness at once perceived.

"Was it a needle?" she asked quickly. "Sometimes I stick 'em in while
I'm sewin'. You see, his havin' been paralyzed so many years has got
me where I'm awful careless about leavin' needles in his bed."

"No," said Mrs. Lathrop; "it wasn't a--"

"Come on downstairs again," said the hostess; "we c'n talk there."

They went down into the kitchen, and there Mrs. Lathrop seated herself
and coughed solemnly.

"What is it, anyhow?" the younger woman demanded.

Mrs. Lathrop coughed again.

"Susan, did I feel a feather--"

"Yes," said Susan, in great surprise; "he likes one."

"I sh'd think it was too hot this--"

"He don't never complain o' the heat, 'n' he hates the chill o' rainy
days."

Mrs. Lathrop coughed again.

Miss Clegg's interest bordered on impatience.

"Now, Susan, I ain't sayin' as it's noways true, but I _have_ heard as
there's them 's can't die on--"

"On feathers?" cried the daughter.

"Yes; they say they hold the life right in 'n'--"

Miss Clegg's eyes opened widely.

"But I couldn't take it away from him, anyhow," she said, with a
species of determined resignation in her voice. "I'd have to wait
'till he wanted it took."

Mrs. Lathrop was silent. Then she rose to go. Susan rose too. They
went out the kitchen door together, and down the steps. There they
paused to part.

"Do you believe 't it 'd be any use me thinkin' o' Jathrop any more?"
the maiden asked the matron.

"I believe I'd try the blacksmith if I was you; he looks mighty nice
Sundays."

Miss Clegg sighed heavily and turned to re-enter the house.

Mrs. Lathrop went "round by the gate" and became again an inmate of
her own kitchen. There the thought occurred to her that it was an
excellent morning to clean the high-shelf over the sink. For years
past whenever she had had occasion to put anything up there, showers
of dust and rolls of lint had come tumbling down upon her head. Under
such circumstances it was but natural that a determination to some day
clean the shelf should have slowly but surely been developed.
Accordingly she climbed up on the edge of the sink and undertook