-time foot-stoves reposed securely upon their
tops. Later, when the weather turned, these little wood-rimmed,
perforated tin boxes would be filled with coals from the fire and placed
beneath the feet of the elderly folk who came to worship.

The girl looked into her mother's face and found it beaming with the
still delight of one whose heart was deeply moved. She had always been
a member of this simple congregation, but of late years Salome Kaye had
been obliged to forego the pleasure of gathering with it. The distance
from Fairacres was too great for her to walk, and it was long since the
horses and carriages that had once filled Fairacres stables had
disappeared.

Hallam, also, from his place on the men's side, saw the joy in the face
he loved, and thought:--

"I wish mother would consent to ride one of the burros to meeting, then
she could come as often as she wished. But she doesn't think it
decorous. Well, I'm glad she's having the comfort to-day; but what is
Friend Adam saying? It sounds like a farewell."

He shot a startled glance across to Amy, among the women, and she
responded. Then both regarded Adam anxiously. He stood in the speaker's
place, where he was always found in meeting time. His body swayed gently
back and forth, though his hands rested upon his cane as if he needed
its support. His voice fell into the rhythmic measure to which they were
accustomed whenever he became the mouthpiece of the Spirit, but his
words were as of one who departs for a distant country and wishes many
things to be remembered.

His message was brief, yet delivered with all the fire and eloquence of
youth; but when he had finished and cast his eyes about him, something
like a sob burst from his withered lips:--

"It's so queer. He looks so happy and yet so sad. Well, he's giving the
hand of greeting to his neighbor, and so meeting's over."

There was no trace of sadness now. In the friendly hand-shaking that
became general was, as Amy had seen, the signal for the closing of the
meeting, whereupon old neighbors and friends fell promptly to giving and
receiving news of mutual welfare or trouble, as the case might be; and
after a while there was a driving away of vehicles, the nods and signals
of gray bonnets and broad brims, until the while party from the Clove
were the very last left lingering on the grass before the steps.

"Well, it's been a good day, Salome. And now the Word comes: 'For here
we have no continuing cit