he talking groups fell silent, and
before an open door, or window a blank white screen was softly shifted.
This coming from cover by the inhabitants and premeditatedly giving a
visible sign of their existence was a supreme tribute to the woman who
had lived among them successfully, because hers was the courage of the
sanctified, her bravery that of love.

The day sparkled with winter's bright beauty. The sun had wooed an
ancient plum tree into blossoming long before its time. It spread its
dainty flowers on the soft straw bed of an old gray roof. A playful wind
caught up the petals, sending the white blossoms flying across the heads
of the unjust into the unclean ditches where they covered stagnation
with a frail loveliness.

For the time at least degradation hid its face. Though poverty and sin
were abroad, peace and good will might have been their next-door
neighbors had it not been for a certain quality in the atmosphere,
invisible but powerful, which caused a feeling that behind it all, there
was an evil something that sneered alike at life and beauty; that had
for its motto lust and greed, and mercilessly demanded as tribute the
soul of every inhabitant.

Collected crime at bay was an unyielding force not easily reckoned with.
The fact that one small woman, with only faith to back her, was battling
against it single-handed, sent Jane Gray so high up in my estimation
that I could barely see her as she floated in the clouds.

I saw my companion in an entirely new light as I joined the throngs
gathered about the space where the raising of the roof was taking place.
The ceremony here was brief. With countless ropes tied to the joined
roof as it lay on the ground, the eager coolies stood ready for the
signal to pull aloft the structure and guide it to the posts placed
ready to receive it.

Jane walked to the cleared center and stood waiting to speak. There was
instant silence when the crowd saw her. With simple words she thanked
the workmen for their interest and the many half-days' labor they had
contributed, then she raised her hand, and with great shouting and
cheering the roof of Jane's long-dreamed-of refuge for sinners, sick and
hopeless, was safely hoisted to its place.

After this everybody was entitled to a holiday and went quickly to the
tea and cake which Zura and her helpers had prepared and served from
small booths. The rest of the exercises were to take place in the
near-by house that Miss Gray had