e other man, too. I am afraid. Don't let's go there."

Maria looked about her. "You see that board fence, then?" she said to
Lily, and as she spoke she pointed to a high board fence on the other
side of the street, which was completely in shadow.

"Yes."

"Well, if you are afraid, just go and stand straight against the
fence. You will be in shadow, and if you don't move nobody can
possibly see you. Then I will go to the door and leave the things."

"Oh, Maria, aren't you afraid?"

"No, I am not a bit afraid."

"You won't go in, honest?"

"No, I won't go in. Run right over there."

Lily released her hold of Maria's arm and made a fluttering break for
the fence, against which she shrank and became actually invisible as
a shadow. Maria marched up to the Ramsey door and knocked loudly.
Mrs. Ramsey came to the door, and Maria thrust the parcels into her
hands and began pulling them rapidly out of the fish-net bag. Mrs.
Ramsey cast a glance behind her at the lighted room, through which
was visible the same man whom Maria had seen before, and also
another, and swung the door rapidly together, so that she stood in
the dark entry, only partly lighted by the moonlight.

"I have brought some things for Jessy to wear to school, Mrs.
Ramsey," said Maria.

"Thank you," Mrs. Ramsey mumbled, doubtfully, with still another
glance at the closed door, through which shone lines and chinks of
light.

"There are enough for her to be warmly clothed, and you will see to
it that she has them on, won't you?" said Maria. Her voice was quite
sweet and ingratiating, and not at all patronizing.

Suddenly the woman made a clutch at her arm. "You are a good young
one, doin' so much for my young one," she whispered. "Now you'd
better git up and git. They've been drinkin'. Git!"

"You will see that Jessy has the things to wear Monday, won't you?"
said Maria.

"Sure." Suddenly the woman wiped her eyes and gave a maudlin sob.
"You're a good young one," she whimpered. "Now, git."

Maria ran across the road as the door closed after her. She did not
know that Mrs. Ramsey had given the parcels which she had brought a
toss into another room, and when she entered the room in which the
men were carousing and was asked who had come to the door, had
replied, "The butcher for his bill," to be greeted with roars of
laughter. She did, indeed, hear the roars of laughter. Lily slunk
along swiftly beside the fence by her side. Maria caught her by the