to move
into. Diamonds and money--what next?"

V

Mrs. Smithers

The chickens were clucking peacefully in their corner of Uncle Ebeneezer's
dooryard, and the newly acquired bossy cow mooed unhappily in her
improvised stable. Harlan had christened the cow "Maud" because she
insisted upon going into the garden, and though Dorothy had vigorously
protested against putting Tennyson to such base uses, the name still held,
out of sheer appropriateness.

Harlan was engaged in that pleasant pastime known as "pottering." The
instinct to drive nails, put up shelves, and to improve generally his
local habitation is as firmly seated in the masculine nature as
housewifely characteristics are ingrained in the feminine soul. Never
before having had a home of his own, Harlan was enjoying it to the full.

Early hours had been the rule at the Jack-o'-Lantern ever since the
feathered sultan with his tribe of voluble wives had taken up his abode on
the hilltop. Indeed, as Harlan said, they were obliged to sleep when the
chickens did--if they slept at all. So it was not yet seven one morning
when Dorothy went in from the chicken coop, singing softly to herself, and
intent upon the particular hammer her husband wanted, never expecting to
find Her in the kitchen.

"I--I beg your pardon?" she stammered, inquiringly.

A gaunt, aged, and preternaturally solemn female, swathed in crape, bent
slightly forward in her chair, without making an effort to rise, and
reached forth a black-gloved hand tightly grasping a letter, which was
tremulously addressed to "Mrs. J. H. Carr."

"My dear Madam," Dorothy read.

"The multitudinous duties in connection with the practice of my
profession have unfortunately prevented me, until the present hour,
from interviewing Mrs. Sarah Smithers in regard to your requirements.
While she is naturally unwilling to commit herself entirely without a
more definite idea of what is expected of her, she is none the less
kindly disposed. May I hope, my dear madam, that at the first
opportunity you will apprise me of ensuing events in this connection,
and that in any event I may still faithfully serve you?

"With kindest personal remembrances and my polite salutations to the
distinguished author whose wife you have the honour to be, I am, my
dear madam,

"Yr. most respectful and obedient servant,

"Jeremiah Bradford.

"Oh," said Doro