d Mrs. McGuire found herself losing all interest
in Christian's struggles as she looked at Mary's face.

Once she saw the minister pass and she beat upon the window with her
knitting needle, but he hurried by without looking up. Then the anger
of Mrs. McGuire was kindled mightily, and she sometimes woke up in the
night to express her opinion of him in the most lurid terms she could
think of, feeling meanwhile the futility of human speech. It was a hard
position for Mrs. McGuire, who had always been able to settle her own
affairs with ease and grace.

One day when this had been going on about a month, Mrs. McGuire sat in
her chintz-covered rocking-chair and thought hard, for something had to
be done. She narrowed her black eyes into slits and thought and
thought. Suddenly she started as if she heard something, and perhaps
she did--the angel who brought the inspiration may have whirred his
wings a little.

Mary Barner was coming that afternoon to "red up" a little for her, for
her rheumatism had been very bad. With wonderful agility she rose and
made ready for bed. First, however, she carefully examined the latch on
her kitchen door. Now this latch had a bad habit of locking itself if
the door was closed quickly. Mrs. McGuire tried it and found it would
do this every time, and with this she seemed quite satisfied.

About half after three o'clock Mary came and began to set the little
house in order. When this was done Mrs. McGuire asked her if she would
make her a few buttermilk biscuits, she had been wishing for them all
day.

When she saw Mary safely in the kitchen her heart began to beat. Now if
the minister was at home, the thing was as good as done.

She watched at the window until Jimmy Watson came from school, and
then, tapping on the glass, beckoned him to come in, which he did with
great trepidation of spirit.

She told him to go at once and tell Mr. Grantley to come, for she
needed him very badly.

Then she got back into bed, and tried to compose her features into some
resemblance of invalidism.

When Mr. Grantley came she was resting easier she said (which was
true), but would he just get her a drink of water from the kitchen, and
would he please shut the door quick after him and not let the cat up.

Mr. Grantley went at once and she heard the door shut with a snap.

Just to be sure that it was "snibbed," Mrs. McGuire tiptoed after him
in her bare feet, a very bad thing for a sick-a-bed lady to do,