deliberately, and Nance fumbled her hands with a nervous
movement.

Mary's heart went out in sympathy to the forlorn old creature in her
embarrassment. Her dress was dirty and ragged, an ill-fitting gingham,
the elbows out and her bare, bony arms showing through. The waist was
too short and always slipping from the belt of wrinkled cloth beneath
which she kept trying to stuff it.

Mary caught her restless eye at last and held it in a friendly look.

"Please let us stay!" she pleaded. "We can sleep on the
floor--anywhere."

"You bet!" Jim joined in. "Married two weeks--and I don't care whether
it rains or whether it pours or how long I have to stand outdoors--if I
can be with you, Kid."

The old woman hesitated until Mary's smile melted its way into her
heart.

Her lips trembled, and her watery blue eyes blinked.

"Well," she began grumblingly, "thar's a little single bed in that
shed-room thar for you--ef he'll sleep in here on the sofy."

Jim leaped to his feet.

"What do ye think of that? Bully for the old gal! Kinder slow at first.
As the poet sings of the little bed-bug, she ain't got no wings--but she
gets there just the same!"

He drew the electric torch from his pocket and advanced on Nance.

"By Golly--I'll have another look at you."

Nance backed in terror at the sight of the revolver-like instrument.

"What's that?" she gasped.

"Just a little Gatlin' gun!" he cried jokingly. He pressed the button,
and the light flashed squarely in the old woman's eyes.

"God 'lmighty--don't shoot!" she screamed.

Jim doubled with laughter.

"For the love o' Mike!"

Nance leaned against the side table and wiped the perspiration from her
brow.

"Lord! I thought you'd kilt me!" she panted, still trembling.

"Ah, don't be foolish!" Jim said persuasively. "It can't hurt you. Here,
take it in your hand--I'll show you how to work it. It's to nose round
dark places under the buzz-wagon."

He held it out to Nance.

"Here, take it and press the button."

The old woman drew back.

"No--no--I'm skeered! No----"

Jim thrust the torch into her hand and forced her to hold it.

"Oh, come on, it's easy. Push your finger right down on the button."

Nance tried it gingerly at first, and then laughed at the ease with
which it could be done. She flashed it on the floor again and again.

"Why, it's like a big lightnin' bug, ain't it?"

She turned the end of it up to examine more closely, pushed the button
un