grave doubts as to whether she had better
continue her visits under such conditions. But when she went to
Elizabeth with the story, that wise little woman answered her by
singing:

"'Slightest actions often
Meet the sorest needs,
For the world wants daily,
Little kindly deeds;
Oh, what care and sorrow
You may help remove,
With your songs and courage,
Sympathy and love.'"

Peace was comforted and went back to the shady garden with a deeper
desire to brighten the long, dreary, aimless days of the helpless
invalid. She said no more about introducing her beloved minister's
family, but in secret she still mourned because the lame girl so
steadfastly refused to welcome her dearest friends.

So the days flew swiftly by and the month of May was gone. Summer was
early that year, and the first day of June dawned sultry and still over
the sweltering city. It was a half-holiday at the Chestnut School, so
Peace returned home at noon, hot, perspiring, but radiant at the thought
of no more lessons till the morrow. She came a round-about way in order
to pass the great gates of the stone mansion, hoping to catch a glimpse
of the well-known chair under the lilac bushes; but the lawn was
deserted, and she was disappointed, for she had counted much on spending
these unexpected leisure hours in the cool garden with the lame girl.

To add to her woe, she found Elizabeth lying on the couch in the
darkened study, suffering from a nerve-racking headache, and the
preacher, looking very droll togged out in his little wife's
kitchen-apron, was flying about serving up the scorched, unseasoned
dinner for the forlorn family. He was too much concerned over the
illness of the mistress and the unfinished condition of his next
Sunday's sermon to sample his own cooking, and as Glen fell asleep over
his bowl of bread and milk, Peace was left entirely to her own devices
when the meal was ended.

It was too hot to romp, it was too hot to read, and there was no one to
play with. She swung idly in the hammock until the very motion was
maddening. She prowled through the grove behind the church, she dug
industriously in the small flower garden under the east window, she did
everything she could think of to make the time pass quickly, but at
length threw herself once more into the hammock with a discouraged sigh.

"School might better have kept all day. It is horrid to stay home with
nothing to do that's int'res