quickly. "I can't have made
much of a mess." She turned to her visitors and explained: "John is a
regular old maid about his writing-table; everything must be so tidy
and unspotted."

"Well, I can't understand," said her husband, "why anyone so neat handed
as you are should be such a filthy creature with ink. You seem
positively to sling it about."

"Well," said Mrs. Macdonald, changing the subject "I like your idea of
helping ministers, Jean. I've often thought if I had the means I would
know how to help. A cheque to a minister in a city-charge for a holiday;
a cheque to pay a doctor's bill and ease things a little for a worn-out
wife. You've a great chance, Jean."

"I know," said Jean, "if you will only tell me how to begin."

"I'll soon do that," said practical Mrs. Macdonald "I've got several in
my mind this moment that I just ache to give a hand to. But only the
very rich can help. You can't in decency take from people who have only
enough to go on with.... Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll see if Agnes is
getting the tea. I want you to taste my rowan and crab-apple jelly, Miss
Reston, and if you like it you will take some home with you."

* * * * *

As they left the Manse an hour later, laden with gifts, Pamela said to
Jean, "I would rather be Mrs. Macdonald than anyone else I know. She is
a practising Christian. If I had done a day's work such as she has done
I think I would go out of the world pretty well pleased with myself."

"Yes," Jean agreed. "If life is merely a chance of gaining love she
will come out with high marks. Did you give her the miniature?"

"Yes, just as we left, when you had walked on to the gate with Mr.
Macdonald. She was so absurdly grateful she made me cry. You would have
thought no one had ever given her a gift before."

"The world," said Jean, "is divided into two classes, the givers and the
takers. Nothing so touches and pleases and surprises a 'giver' as to
receive a gift. The 'takers' are too busy standing on their hind legs
(like Peter at tea-time) looking wistfully for the next bit of cake to
be very appreciative of the biscuit of the moment."

"Bless me!" said Pamela, "Jean among the cynics!"

CHAPTER XXI

"The soul's dark cottage, batter'd and decay'd,
Lets in the light through chinks that time has made:
Stronger by weakness wiser men become
As they draw near to their eternal home:
Leaving the old, both worlds at onc