ly in her hand. When she succeeded at last in
putting it on the table instead of the young man's lap, she said in a
voice quite unlike her own,--

"Sho!"

"I mean it," said Gideon, cheerfully. After a pause, in which he
unostentatiously rearranged the table which the widow was abstractedly
disorganizing, he said gently, "After tea, when you're not so much
flustered with work and worry, and more composed in spirit, we'll have
a little talk, Sister Hiler. I'm in no hurry to-night, and if you
don't mind I'll make myself comfortable in the barn with my blanket
until sun-up to-morrow. I can get up early enough to do some odd
chores round the lot before I go."

"You know best, Brother Gideon," said the widow, faintly, "and if you
think it's the Lord's will, and no speshal trouble to you, so do. But
sakes alive! it's time I tidied myself a little," she continued,
lifting one hand to her hair, while with the other she endeavored to
fasten a buttonless collar; "leavin' alone the vanities o' dress, it's
ez much as one can do to keep a clean rag on with the children climbin'
over ye. Sit by, and I'll be back in a minit." She retired to the
back room, and in a few moments returned with smoothed hair and a
palm-leaf broche shawl thrown over her shoulders, which not only
concealed the ravages made by time and maternity on the gown beneath,
but to some extent gave her the suggestion of being a casual visitor in
her own household. It must be confessed that for the rest of the
evening Sister Hiler rather lent herself to this idea, possibly from
the fact that it temporarily obliterated the children, and quite
removed her from any responsibility in the unpicturesque household.
This effect was only marred by the absence of any impression upon
Gideon, who scarcely appeared to notice the change, and whose soft eyes
seemed rather to identify the miserable woman under her forced
disguise. He prefaced the meal with a fervent grace, to which the widow
listened with something of the conscious attitude she had adopted at
church during her late husband's ministration, and during the meal she
ate with a like consciousness of "company manners."

Later that evening Selby Hiler woke up in his little truckle bed,
listening to the rising midnight wind, which in his childish fancy he
confounded with the sound of voices that came through the open door of
the living-room. He recognized the deep voice of the young minister,
Gideon, and the occa