iveness for what I did,
and what it might have meant. When I consider how near I came
to--to----"

"To raising hell?" inquired Karen Jensen sympathetically, seeing that
her companion lacked the proper word at the time.

The other woman nodded in emphatic though unconscious assent. Always
there was present before her mind her own part in the little drama of
this place. It was she who had helped to bring this woman here--who
had helped to deceive her. She thanked Providence that perhaps fate
itself sometimes saves us from the full fruit of our follies, after all.

"Just a little sugar, thank you, Mrs. Gage," said she as Mary offered
her some of the fresh whortle berries. "And these little cakes--you
made them?"

"Oh, yes--I do most of my cooking, when I can keep Annie away. You
know about Annie, of course. And Minna, Mrs. Jensen's little, girl,
who is my companion here most of the time--as I said, she's a dear.
I've been teaching her to read all summer--spoiling your work, Mrs.
Davidson!"

"I wish more and more that I might have aid in that undertaking in this
valley," said Sarah Davidson, herself a great soul in her way, and
Covenanter when it came to duty. "It is perhaps primitive here, more
so than elsewhere, but the people--the people--they need so much, and
they--they----"

"They _are_ so much," said Mary Gage gently. "They _are_ so much. I
never knew before what real people were. I'm so glad."

Mrs. Davidson's face worked strangely, very strangely, Mary thought, so
that she believed her to be afflicted with some nervous disease of the
facial muscles. But in truth Sarah Davidson was only endeavoring to
get under control her own emotions, which, like all else about her,
were ponderous and slow.

"Then, my dear--you will let me say 'my dear,' won't you? It's
becoming such a habit with me at my time of life--you will permit me to
inquire if that is an actual expression of your attitude toward the
people here? You say you are glad? Do you mean that, or is it a mere
conventionality with you?"

Mary turned toward her with that gravity which quite commonly marked
her face when all her features were at rest.

"I quite mean it all, Mrs. Davidson," said she. "I'm thankful with all
my heart that I came out here. It's a great place to fight things out.
I'd never have been happy in all my life if I had not come here. I'm
really glad, and you may believe that, because I do--now."

"You would forgiv