lems."

"But you weren't going to sit up here and not let me know anything
about it?" Mary Louise took off her hat and came over to the rocking
chair, toward which she dragged another, and seated herself. She
reached out and took one of the little blue-veined hands and stroked
it gently. "You weren't going to sit up here and let me know nothing
about it? That's not what you promised."

Miss Susie's fixed, inexorable expression did not change. But she was
pleased--was feeling softer. Unconsciously she liked Mary Louise to
assume that patronizing, superior air toward her. She said nothing and
began to rock softly to and fro, staring through the doorway.

Mary Louise continued the gentle stroking. Bye-and-bye she ventured
softly, "You're right sure you're feeling all right now? What did the
doctor say?"

Miss Susie turned on her, mouth snapping shut. "Doctor! Who said I had
to have a doctor?" The look in her eyes, as she turned them full upon
the girl, was one in which defiance mingled with alarm and struggled
for mastery. For Miss Susie had waged a long and losing warfare with
disease and she quailed before the emblems of surrender if not from
the enemy itself.

Mary Louise for the moment let it go at that. After the air had
appreciably cooled she ventured again: "I don't suppose Mrs. Mosby
knew how to reach me?" Miss Susie looked puzzled and she continued in
explanation, "I had a note from Joe Hooper saying you had had a little
spell--I suppose Mrs. Mosby 'phoned him."

Miss Susie gave a little snort. "And what would Loraine Mosby be doing
meddling in my affairs? She hasn't called on me for years. Like as not
it was that fool Lavinia Burrus. You would think she owned and was
running the town. The salvation of Bloomfield weighs mighty heavy on
her shoulders these days--with her '_Dear_ Miss McCallum,' and her
'Poor dear Mrs. Hamilton!' I've a mind to tell her that charity, even
of thought, begins at home--where it's needed."

Mary Louise felt a sudden sort of displeasure. She had adopted the
devious method of getting at the true state of affairs, for that was
the only way any one could get anything out of Miss Susie. And now she
found herself getting interested on her own account. She had once
supposed that it had been through Mrs. Mosby's agency that she had
been apprised. It now appeared that someone else--an outsider and a
parvenu at that--had linked her name with that of Joe Hooper's to send
her word through