.
_She_ seems slim now, don't she? If I was in your place, I should be
dretful anxious about her, alone in the world as you'd be if she was
took. The Lord's ways is--"

"Did you want to see me about anything special, Mrs. Lankton?" said
Hildegarde, interrupting. She felt that she was not called upon to bear
this kind of thing.

The widow sniffed sadly and shook her head.

"Yes, dear! You're quick and light, ain't you, as young folks be! Like
to brisk up and have done with a thing. Well, I come to see if I could
borry a crape bunnit, to go to a funeral; there, Miss Grahame, I hope
you won't think me forth-puttin', but I felt that anything your blessed
ma had worn would be a privilege, I'm sure, and so regardin' it, I
come."

"Oh!" said Hildegarde, with a little shudder. "We--we have no crape,
Mrs. Lankton. My father--that is, my mother never wore it."

"Didn't!" said Mrs. Lankton. "Well, now, folks has their views. I was
one that never liked to spare where feelin's was concerned. Ah! I've
wore crape enough in my time to bury me under, you might say. When my
poor husband died, I got a veil measured three yards, countin' the hem;
good crape it was, too. There! I took and showed it to him the day
before he was took. He'd been failin' up quite a spell, and I was never
one to hide their end from them that was comin' to it. 'There, Peleg!'
says I. 'I want you should know that I sha'n't slight nothin' when
you're gone,' I says. 'I'll keep you as long as I can,' I says, 'and
I'll have everything right and fittin' as far as my means goes,' I
says. He was real gratified. I was glad to please him, goin' so soon as
he was.

"He turned up his toes less than twenty-four hours after I said them
words; died off real nice. His moniment is handsome, if I do say it. I
have it scrubbed every spring, come house-cleanin' time, and it looks as
good as new. Yes, dear! I've got a great deal to be thankful for, if I
have suffered more than most."

Hildegarde set her teeth. Inwardly she was saying, "You dreadful old
ghoul! When will you stop your grisly recollections, and go away?" But
all she said aloud was, "Well, Mrs. Lankton, I am sorry that we cannot
help you. Perhaps one of the neighbours,--but I ought to ask,--I trust
it is no near relative that is dead?"

"No, dear!" replied the widow, with unction. "No relation, only by
marriage. My sister's husband married this man's sister for his third
wife; old man Topliffe it is, keeps the