s just goin' to let us ring again. I've done
it myself sometimes. I'm glad we come right over after her urgin' us
so; it seems more cordial than to keep her expectin' us. I expect
she'll urge us terribly to remain with her over-night."

"Oh, I ain't prepared," began Miss Pickett, but she looked pleased. At
that moment there was a slow withdrawal of the bolt inside, and a key
was turned, the front door opened, and Mrs. Timms stood before them
with a smile. Nobody stopped to think at that moment what kind of
smile it was.

"Why, if it ain't Mis' Flagg," she exclaimed politely, "an' Miss
Pickett too! I am surprised!"

The front entry behind her looked well furnished, but not exactly
hospitable; the stairs with their brass rods looked so clean and
bright that it did not seem as if anybody had ever gone up or come
down. A cat came purring out, but Mrs. Timms pushed her back with a
determined foot, and hastily closed the sitting-room door. Then Miss
Pickett let Mrs. Flagg precede her, as was becoming, and they went
into a darkened parlor, and found their way to some chairs, and seated
themselves solemnly.

"'Tis a beautiful day, ain't it?" said Mrs. Flagg, speaking first. "I
don't know's I ever enjoyed the ride more. We've been having a good
deal of rain since we saw you at the conference, and the country looks
beautiful."

"Did you leave Woodville this morning? I thought I hadn't heard you
was in town," replied Mrs. Timms formally. She was seated just a
little too far away to make things seem exactly pleasant. The darkness
of the best room seemed to retreat somewhat, and Miss Pickett looked
over by the door, where there was a pale gleam from the side-lights in
the hall, to try to see the pattern of the carpet; but her effort
failed.

"Yes, 'm," replied Mrs. Flagg to the question. "We left Woodville
about half past eight, but it is quite a ways from where we live to
where you take the stage. The stage does come slow, but you don't seem
to mind it such a beautiful day."

"Why, you must have come right to see me first!" said Mrs. Timms,
warming a little as the visit went on. "I hope you're going to make
some stop in town. I'm sure it was very polite of you to come right
an' see me; well, it's very pleasant, I declare. I wish you'd been in
Baxter last Sabbath; our minister did give us an elegant sermon on
faith an' works. He spoke of the conference, and gave his views on
some o' the questions that came up, at Friday ev