he kitchen, lighted a lamp, and began putting the
food on the table. Tilly joined her, helping at this and that with
swift, deft hands. Presently they sat down opposite each other. Neither
ate much, though both were pretending to relish the food. The meal was
almost concluded when there was a step on the porch and a vigorous rap
on the door. Lizzie started and almost paled.

"Stay where you are," she said to Tilly. "I'll be back in a moment."

Tilly heard her light step to the door, then the door opened and a man's
voice sounded: "Hello, Liz! What's all this? My God! old girl, I just
got to town and heard at the hotel about all three, and--"

"Hush!" Tilly heard Lizzie's voice ring out. "Go away, and don't come
back ever again. Do you hear me--_never again_?"

"But Liz, Liz! Why, old friend--"

"Go away, I tell you! I don't want you here and I won't have it! Tell
all the others to stay away--every one, man and woman. I'm done, I tell
you. I'm through. Go, go, I tell you! Go!"

There was a mumbled, bewildered protest which grew fainter and fainter
till it ended with the clicking of the gate latch, and Lizzie, white and
trembling, returned. She resumed her seat, and with unsteady hands took
up her knife and fork, but made no comment on the interruption.

Supper over, they rose and put the things away. After this was done they
sat talking in the parlor till nine o'clock. Then Tilly said, "Now you
must go to bed, and so must I."

Lizzie got another lamp, and when she had lighted it she suddenly
bethought herself of something. "You have no nightgown," she said. "Is
it at the cottage?"

Tilly nodded. "Yes; I will run over for it, if you will give me a match
to light the gas."

Lizzie averted her eyes, stood silent for a moment, and then said:

"No, no, you mustn't go at this time of night. Some one might see you
leaving here or returning. No, no, that would never do, my child. I have
a lot of clean nightgowns, but I have--" Lizzie broke off, her face
flushing, her eyes falling.

"Then why don't you lend me--" Tilly had read the thought of her
embarrassed hostess, delicate as it was, and yet did not know how to
relieve the situation of its tension.

"Oh, I remember now!" Lizzie suddenly ejaculated in relief. "I have some
that have just been bought and given to me which I've never worn. They
are rather too small for me. In fact, they are about your size. Come to
my room and I'll get one."

To the simple, countr