n' go ter board with folks what don't know yer likins nor
understan' yer feelin's, an' the end on it'll be that you'll jest wilt
away wuss than a mornin' glory. I never did think folks sarved the Lord
by dyin' afore their time comes.

"I decide to hev you keep yer hum, an' the things in it, an' me too. The
hull on it is, Miss Di-an, _I won't be left_!" and Unavella buried her
face in her hands and sobbed aloud.

"You dear Unavella!" Miss Diana laid her soft hand upon the
toil-roughened ones. "If you only knew how I dread the thought of
leaving you! But what else is there for me to do?"

"Gentlemen boarders," was the terse reply.

"Gentlemen boarders!" echoed Miss Diana in bewilderment.

"Yes. You catch 'em, an' I'll cook'em. We'll begin with two ter see how
they eat, an ef we find it don't cost too much ter fatten 'em up, we'll
go inter the bizness reglar;" after making which cannibalistic
proposition Unavella looked to her mistress for approval.

"Why, Unavella," said Miss Diana, after the first shock of surprise was
over, "I never even dreamed of such a thing! It might be possible, if
you are willing to undertake it, it is very good of you. But we will not
make any plans, Unavella, until I talk it over with the Lord. If his
smile rests upon it, your kindly thought for me will succeed; if not, it
would be sure to fail. I must have his approval first of all."

She rose as she spoke and bade her a gentle good-night, and Unavella
walked slowly back to her kitchen again. "Ef the angul Gabriel," she
soliloquized, "starts in ter searchin' the earth this night fer the
Lord's chosen ones, there ain't no fear but what he'll cum ter this
house, the fust thing."

Up-stairs Miss Diana was whispering softly, as she looked up at the
stars with a trustful smile. "Oh, my Father, if it is thy will that I
should do this thing, thou wilt send me the right ones."

CHAPTER XXI.

John Randolph did some hard thinking during the weeks which followed
Richard Trueman's death. It was no light task which he had so cheerfully
imposed upon himself. The boy was constitutionally delicate and fretted
so constantly after his father that his health began to suffer, and it
grew to be a very pale face which welcomed John with a smile when he
returned from the office. The style of living was bad for him. He was
alone all day, except for an occasional visit from the good-natured
German woman who kept their rooms, and, although he was a vora