n her voice, "And if you would please not to call me
Miss Blyth, my good Diploma, I should be grateful to you. Say 'Miss
Vesta,' as usual, if you please. I desire--let us keep things as they
have been--as they have been. My beloved sister has gone away"--the soft
even voice quivered, but did not break--"gone away, but not far. I am
sure I need not ask you, Diploma, to help me in keeping everything as my
dear sister would like best to have it. You know so well about almost
every particular; but--she preferred to have the tidies straight, not
cornerwise. You will not feel hurt, I am sure, if I alter them. They are
beautifully done up, Diploma; it would be a real pleasure to my dear
sister to see them."

"I knew they were on wrong," said the handmaid, proceeding to aid in
changing the position of the delicate crocheted squares. "Mis' Bliss
wanted to do something to help,--she's real good,--and I had them just
done up, and thought she couldn't do much harm with 'em. There! I knew
Deacon Weight wouldn't rest easy till he got his down under him. He's
got it all scrunched up, settin' on it. It doos beat all how that man
routs round in his cheer."

"Hush, Diploma! I must ask you not to speak so," said Miss Vesta.
"Deacon Weight is an officer of the church. I fear he may have chosen a
chair not sufficiently ample for his person. There, that will do nicely!
Now I think the room looks quite as my dear sister would wish to see it.
Does it not seem so to you, Diploma?"

"The room's all right," said Diploma, gruffly; "but if Miss Blyth was
here, she'd tell you to go and lay down this minute, Miss Vesty, and so
I bid you do. You're as white and scrunched as that tidy. No wonder,
after settin' up these two nights, and all you've ben through. I wish
to goodness Doctor Strong had ben here; he'd have made you get a nurse,
whether or whethern't. Doctor Stedman ain't got half the say-so to him
that Doctor Strong has."

"You are mistaken, Diploma!" said Miss Vesta, blushing. "Doctor Stedman
spoke strongly, very strongly indeed. He was very firm on the point;
indeed, he became incensed about it, but it was not a point on which I
could give way. My dear sister always said that no hireling should ever
touch her person, and I consider it one of my crowning mercies that I
was able to care for her to the last; with your help, my dear Diploma! I
could not have done it without your help. I beg you to believe how truly
grateful I am to you for yo