vily as her struggle continued.

The two children were terrified. Doosie raced distractedly across the
pastures to get 'Lias, and Dulcie ran into the house for water. Her
little hand was trembling as she held the glass to Aileen's white
quivering lips that refused it.

By the time, however, that 'Lias got to the house, the crisis was past;
she could smile at the frightened children, and assure 'Lias that she
had had simply a short and acute attack of indigestion from eating too
many checkerberries over in the woods.

"It serves me right," she said smiling into the woe-begone little faces
so near to hers; "I've always heard they are the most indigestible
things going--now don't you eat any more, girlies, or you'll have a
spasm like mine. I'm all right, 'Lias; go back to your work, I'll just
help myself to a cup of hot water from the tea-kettle and then I'll go
home with Tave--I see him coming for me--I didn't expect him now."

"But, Aileen, won't you stay to supper?" said the twins at one and the
same time; "we always have you to celebrate our checkerberry picnic."

"Dear knows, I've celebrated the checkerberries enough already," she
said laughing,--but 'Lias noticed that her lips were still
colorless,--"and I think, dearies, that it's no time for us to be
celebrating any more to-day when poor Mrs. Googe is in such trouble."

"What's up?" said 'Lias.

The twins' eagerness to impart their knowledge of recent events to 'Lias
was such that the sorrow of parting was greatly mitigated; moreover,
Aileen left them with a promise to come up again soon.

"I'm ready, Tave," she said as he drew up at the door. 'Lias helped her
in.

"Come again soon, Aileen--you've promised," the twins shouted after her.

She turned and waved her hand to them. "I'll come," she called back in
answer.

They drove in silence over the Rothel, past the brick house where
Emlie's trap was still standing, but now hitched. Octavius Buzzby's face
was gray; his features were drawn.

"Did you hear, Aileen?" he said, after they had driven on a while and
begun to meet the quarrymen returning from Flamsted, many of whom were
talking excitedly and gesticulating freely.

"Yes--Dulcie told me something. I don't know how true it is," she
answered quietly.

"It's true," he said grimly, "and it'll kill his mother."

"I don't know about that;" she spoke almost indifferently; "you can
stand a good deal when it comes to the point."

Octavius turned almo