wynn had condoled, and had made his escape to his
study. "She always gives way so; but I never was like that. I was up all
the same, my dear."

"I hope it does not hurt very much," said Ruth, anxious to be
sympathetic, but succeeding only in being commonplace.

"It's not only the pain," said Mrs. Alwynn, in the gentle resigned voice
which she always used when indisposed--the voice of one at peace with
all the world, and ready to depart from a scene consequently so devoid
of interest; "but to a person of my habits, Ruth--never a day without
going into the larder, and always seeing after the servants as I
do--first one duty and then another--and the chickens and all. It seems
a strange thing that I should be laid aside."

Mrs. Alwynn paused, as if she had not for the nonce fathomed the
ulterior reasons for this special move on the part of Providence, which
had crippled her, while it left Ruth and Mrs. Thursby with the use of
their limbs.

"However," she continued, "I am not one to repine. Always cheery and
busy, Ruth: that is my motto. And now, my dear, if you will wind up the
musical-box, and then read me a little bit out of 'Texts with Tender
Twinings'" (the new floral manual which had lately superseded the
"Pearls"), "after that we will start on one of my scrap-books, and you
shall tell me all about your visit to Vandon."

It was not the time Ruth would have chosen for a _tete-a-tete_ with her
aunt. She was longing to be alone, to think quietly over what had
happened, and it was difficult to concentrate her attention on pink and
yellow calico, and cut out colored royal families, and foreign birds,
with a good grace. Happily Mrs. Alwynn, though always requiring
attention, was quite content with the half of what she required; and,
with the "Buffalo Girls" and the "Danube River" tinkling on the table,
conversation was somewhat superfluous.

In the afternoon Dare came, but he was waylaid in the hall by Mr.
Alwynn, and taken into the study before he could commit himself in Mrs.
Alwynn's presence. Mrs. Thursby and Mabel also called to condole, and a
little later Mrs. Smith of Greenacre, who had heard the news of the
accident from the doctor. Altogether it was a delightful afternoon for
Mrs. Alwynn, who assumed for the time an air of superiority over Mrs.
Thursby to which that lady's well-known chronic ill-health seldom
allowed her to lay claim.

Mrs. Alwynn and Mrs. Thursby had remained friends since they had both
a