world for but to help one another? I MUST try to help little
Tillie--bless her!"

So the following Monday afternoon after school, found Miss Margaret, in
a not very complacent or confident frame of mind, walking with Tillie
and her younger brother and sister out over the snow-covered road to
the Getz farm to face the redoubtable head of the family.

VIII

MISS MARGARET'S ERRAND

It was half-past four o'clock when they reached the farm-house, and
they found the weary, dreary mother of the family cleaning fish at the
kitchen sink, one baby pulling at her skirts, another sprawling on the
floor at her feet.

Miss Margaret inquired whether she might see Mr. Getz.

"If you kin? Yes, I guess," Mrs. Getz dully responded. "Sammy, you go
to the barn and tell pop Teacher's here and wants to speak somepin to
him. Mister's out back," she explained to Miss Margaret, "choppin'
wood."

Sammy departed, and Miss Margaret sat down in the chair which Tillie
brought to her. Mrs. Getz went on with her work at the sink, while
Tillie set to work at once on a crock of potatoes waiting to be pared.

"You are getting supper very early, aren't you?' Miss Margaret asked,
with a friendly attempt to make conversation.

"No, we're some late. And I don't get it ready yet, I just start it.
We're getting strangers fur supper."

"Are you?"

"Yes. Some of Mister's folks from East Bethel."

"And are they strangers to you?"

Mrs. Getz paused in her scraping of the fish to consider the question.

"If they're strangers to us? Och, no. We knowed them this long time
a'ready. Us we're well acquainted. But to be sure they don't live with
us, so we say strangers is comin'. You don't talk like us; ain't?"

"N--not exactly."

"I do think now (you must excuse me sayin' so) but you do talk awful
funny," Mrs. Getz smiled feebly.

"I suppose I do," Miss Margaret sympathetically replied.

Mr. Getz now came into the room, and Miss Margaret rose to greet him.

"I'm much obliged to meet you," he said awkwardly as he shook hands
with her.

He glanced at the clock on the mantel, then turned to speak to Tillie.

"Are yous home long a'ready?" he inquired.

"Not so very long," Tillie answered with an apprehensive glance at the
clock.

"You're some late," he said, with a threatening little nod as he drew
up a chair in front of the teacher.

"It's my fault," Miss Margaret hastened to say, "I made the children
wait to bring me out here."