uly sorry," said Mrs. Otway shaking her head, "with the
winter coming I am afraid it will go hard with them."

"Yes, winter isn't far off," said Mrs. Hunt. "William says he thinks
we'll have early snow. We'll all have to keep the Belts in mind, and
I guess they'll not suffer. Well, I must be going. I thought you'd
want to hear about Almira; you're always so ready to look out for
the sick, Maria."

"I certainly shall not let Almira want for anything I can do,"
returned Mrs. Otway with emphasis. "She has been a good and faithful
worker all her days, and I hope her years of usefulness are not
ended yet. Thank you for coming to tell us, Salome."

"Well, I knew you'd want to know," repeated Mrs. Hunt. "By the way,
Maria, I hear Miss Robbins is going to town on Saturday, and I
shouldn't wonder if there'd be something to get for Almira. I don't
doubt Miss Robbins would attend to it."

"I am sure she would," returned Mrs. Otway. "She is always very
ready to offer her services."

"You like her right well, don't you?" said Mrs. Hunt.

"Very much indeed; we are glad to have her with us."

"That's what I surmised. What was I going to say? Oh, yes, you were
remarking that Marian needed a winter coat, and she will need it,
cold as it is growing, for I remember you sent her last year's one
in the missionary box. Why not let Miss Robbins get one for her in
the city? Marian could go along, and she'd be glad of her company.
It wouldn't be much trouble if the child were there to fit it on.
You could tell her the kind you wanted, and I'll venture to say
you'd pay less than for the cloth and making."

"Perhaps that would be a good plan," replied Mrs. Otway, as if it
had not been presented before. "I'll see about it when Miss Dorothy
comes in."

"Oh, may I go?" Marian breathed softly, but at that moment the
door was shut after Mrs. Hunt, and her grandmother did not hear
the question, which was just as well, as Marian on second thoughts
decided, for if she thought the child wanted to go for a frolic she
might withhold her consent. So Marian wisely held her tongue and
went out to the garden again.

No more was said upon the subject until the next day and Marian was
afraid it was forgotten, but in the afternoon Miss Dorothy called
her. "Come in here, young woman, and earn your trip to town."

Marian obeyed with alacrity. Miss Dorothy was seated before her
typewriter. "Come here and I will show you what you have to do," she
said.