day, Charlotte," she said. "Ain't you goin' to
walk?"

Mrs. Whipp yawned. "Dunno as I am."

"I've got to go out again," pursued Miss Mehitable intrepidly, but she
felt the dull gaze that at once turned and fixed upon her. "I've got to
see Ben Barry about some business that came up in the city yesterday."

"I knew you had something on your mind last night," returned Mrs. Whipp,
triumphantly. "I notice you wouldn't tell _me_."

"You ain't a lawyer, Charlotte Whipp."

"Neither is that young whipper-snapper," rejoined the widow, "but then
of course he's a Barry."

"You do try my patience dreadfully, Charlotte," declared Miss Mehitable,
her plump cheeks scarlet. "If you didn't know when you came here that
Mrs. Barry is one o' the best friends I've got in the world, I'll tell
you so now. You needn't be throwin' 'em up to me just because they've
got money. I'm goin' there whenever they ask me, and this afternoon's
one o' the times."

She felt like a child who works its elbows to throw off some hampering
annoyance. How her companion managed to hold her under the spell of
domination which seemed merely a heavy weight of silent disapproval, she
did not understand. It always meant jealousy, Miss Mehitable knew that,
and usually her peace-loving, sunny nature pacified and coaxed the
offended one, but occasionally she stood her ground. She knew that
presently the Barry car would again draw up before her gate and she felt
she must forestall Charlotte's sneers.

"How soon you goin'?" inquired the latter mildly.

"At three o'clock," returned Miss Upton bravely.

"Let me fix your collar," said Charlotte, rising; "your apron rumpled it
all up."

"Why can't I remember to bully her oftener?" thought Miss Mehitable. "It
always does her good just like medicine."

Promptly at three Ben Barry jumped out of his car before Miss Upton's
Emporium, and Mrs. Whipp dodged behind the window-curtain and watched
them drive away.

"I saw that cute Lottie looking after us," said Ben.

"Poor thing, I kind o' hate to leave her on a Sunday," said Miss Upton,
sighing.

"'The better the day, the better the deed,'" remarked her companion.
"You've got me all het up about you and your umbrella. What's my part?
To keep you out of the lock-up? Whom did you 'sault 'n' batter? When
are you going to tell me?"

"You see that's one thing that's the matter with Charlotte," said Miss
Mehitable. "She does hate to think I'm keepin' anything from her and