he appeared again, to say that he would deed the new house to
Lydia, who would undoubtedly take the change a little hard--a little
hard!

"Yes," said old Malcolm thoughtfully, from the doorway, glancing, with
his spectacles still on his forehead, at the pencilled list he had in
his hand. "Yes, I believe I have hit upon the solution!
I--believe--I--have--hit--it!"

Old Mrs. Sark having fulfilled her family's mournful expectations,
Lydia stayed for the funeral, and was so deeply absorbed and satisfied
by her position in the Kilroy house that she returned home still
impressive, consolatory, and crushed in manner.

She sat beside Martie on the front steps, in the warm March twilight,
retailing the events of the last three days, and living again their
moments of grief and stress.

"I know I was a consolation to them, Mart--of course, there's little
enough one can do! But yesterday morning--I sat up both nights; I
declare I don't know where the strength comes from--yesterday morning,
before the funeral, I went up to Louis Kilroy--I never saw a grown man
take a thing so hard--and I said, 'Louis, you must come and have a cup
of hot, strong coffee!' Bessie was there, and I must say she seemed as
devoted to Grandma as if she'd been her own daughter, and she came and
took my hands, and she said, 'Lydia, I never will forget all you've
done for us!' Well," Lydia went on, with a sad little deprecatory
shrug, "I didn't do much. But it was somebody THERE, you know! Somebody
to do the plain little everyday things that MUST be done, whether death
is in the house, or not!" And Lydia sighed in weary content. "Carrie
David says she believes Tom'll go next--" she was pursuing mournfully,
when Martie interrupted.

"Say, Lyd dear, we've been having great times since you were away--I
didn't have a chance to say a word to you at the funeral--but the
school board, or the city fathers, or some one, has made Pa an offer
for the house!"

"What house?" Lydia asked interestedly.

"THIS one." Martie began to chew the fresh sprout of a yellow banksia
rose.

"This one!" Lydia's mouth remained a little open, her eyes were wild.

"Yes; this whole tract. They'll fill it in; they want if for the new
High School."

"Well--" Lydia tossed her head loftily. "Of course, Pa told them--?"

"Yes, he did tell them, as he always has--that nothing would persuade
him to part with it!"

"WELL!" said Lydia, breathing again.

"But he's been thinking it ov