all the while
Emmy was gone. Her greeting to Miss Keith was a feeble moan. But on Miss
Keith's part there was an amazing transformation. She bent her brows
above eyes which shone out of them in a level, intent gaze. Emmy
recalled Miss Ann's description, and understood it with a thrill. For a
few seconds Miss Keith stood motionless, shedding that steady,
unblinking gaze at the drawn face on the pillow. Mrs. Darter appeared to
feel it through her eyelids; she winced, she ceased whimpering. Miss
Keith smiled gently. She spoke, and her voice was like silk. "You have
suffered very much!"

Mrs. Darter opened her eyes; she gazed up at the eyes above her; her
chin quivered and two tears slowly ran down her cheeks--the first tears
seen on her cheeks during all her lamentations. "Oh, I have," she
murmured, "and nobody believes it--not my oldest friend, not my own
children!"

"_I_ believe it," said the girl; "yet it is all a mistake." Without
turning her eyes, she made a little motion with her hands toward the
door, and instantly Miss Ann marshaled the others out of the room. Mrs.
Conner shut the door.

In spite of herself, Emmy began to feel her nerves twitch with the
excitement and mystery. "Oh, Mrs. Conner," she entreated that stanch
friend, "is it possible she _can_ cure mother?"

"Jest you keep quiet," said Mrs. Conner, "and set still. I'm going out
to the kitchen to heat this beef tea." For the first time, Emmy observed
that Mrs. Conner carried a glass jar insufficiently wrapped in
newspaper. Directly she was heard clattering among the saucepans. Miss
Ann stiffened into a rigid attitude, and her face assumed a rapt
expression. Emmy locked her fingers and sat still. At this moment she
was startled by a soft noise outside, and a young fellow pushed a
handsome, flushed face into the triangle between the window curtains and
beckoned with a look of entreaty. Emmy's heart jumped into her throat.
It was Albert. She didn't care whether he rode with Susan Baker or not;
it was Albert who loved her; she knew it. If she could only go out to
him! But Miss Ann shook her head and laid a mystic finger on her lips.
Emmy, too, laid a finger on her lips; but her finger trembled and her
eyes swam in tears. Albert stood passive and bewildered. The moments
dragged on. Really there were not so many of them; a scant half an hour
covered the flight of time; but to Emmy, uncertain whether her greatly
tried lover might not have to go back to an e