hile, when my best days come and I can; I had,
really, Gypsy. You don't know how it hurts me--a great deal more than
this other hurt in my back--to lie here and let her support me, and I
not do a thing. O Gypsy, you don't know!"

Something in Peace Maythorne's tone just then made Gypsy feel worse than
she felt to see her sew. She was silent a minute, turning away her face.

"Well, I suppose I don't. But I say I'd as lief have a stone wall for an
aunt; no, I will say it, Peace, and you needn't look at me." Peace
looked, notwithstanding, and Gypsy stopped saying it.

"Sometimes I've thought," said Peace, after a pause, "I might earn a
little crocheting. Once, long ago, I made a mat out of ends of worsted I
found, and it didn't hurt me hardly any; on my good days it wouldn't
honestly hurt me at all. It's pretty work, crocheting, isn't it?"

"Why don't you crochet, then," said Gypsy, "if you must do anything?
It's ten thousand times easier than this sewing you're killing yourself
over."

"I've no worsteds, you know," said Peace, coloring; and changed the
subject at once.

Gypsy looked thoughtful. Very soon after she bade Peace good-bye, and
went home.

That night she called her mother away alone, and told her what Peace had
said.

"Now, mother, I've thought out an idea."

"Well?"

"You mustn't say no, if I tell you."

"I'll try not to; if it is a sensible idea."

"Do I _ever_ have an idea that isn't sensible?" said Gypsy, demurely. "I
prefer not to be slandered, if you please, Mrs. Breynton."

"Well, but what's the idea?"

"It's just this. Miss Jane Maythorne is a heathen."

"Is that all?"

"No. But Miss Jane Maythorne _is_ a heathen, and ought to cut off her
head before she lets Peace sew. But you see she doesn't know she's a
heathen, and Peace will sew."

"Well, what then?"

"If she will do something, and won't be happy without, then I can't help
it, you see. But I can give her some worsteds for a Christmas present,
and she can make little mats and things, and you can buy them. Now,
mother, isn't that nice?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Breynton, after a moment's thought. "It is a very good
plan. I think Joy would like to join you. Together, you can make quite a
handsome present out of it."

"I don't want Joy to know a thing about it," said Gypsy, with a decision
in her voice that amounted almost to anger.

"Why, Gypsy!"

"No, not a thing. She just takes her father's money, and gives lots of
splendid p