which drew it stood a man and a woman, the latter in the
gray garb of a sister of the House of Martha.

When I recognized this costume, my heart gave a jump, and I hastened
toward the group; but the woman had perceived my approach, and to my
surprise came toward me. I quickly saw that it was Mother Anastasia. My
heart sank; without any good reason, it must be admitted, but still it
sank.

The face of the Mother Superior was slightly flushed, as she walked
rapidly in my direction. Saluting her, I inquired what had happened.

"Nothing of importance," she answered; "a trace has broken."

"I will go and look at it," I said. "Sometimes that sort of mishap can
be easily remedied."

"Oh, no," said she, "don't trouble yourself. It's broken in the middle,
and so you cannot cut a fresh hole in it, or do any of those things
which men do to broken traces. I have told the boy that he must take out
the horse, and ride it back to the stable and get another set of
harness. That is the only thing to be done. I shall wait here for his
return, and I am very glad to have met you."

Naturally I was pleased at this. "Then you have something to say to me?"
I remarked.

"Yes," she answered, "I have a good deal to say. Let us walk on to a
more shaded place."

"Now it strikes me," said I, "that the most pleasant place to wait will
be in the carriage; there we can sit and talk quite comfortably."

"Oh, no," she said, with a sort of half laugh, "it is stuffy and horrid.
I greatly prefer the fresh air. I have reason to suppose you do not
object to conversing under a tree. I see a promising bit of shade a
little farther on."

"Would it be wise to go so far from the carriage?" I asked. "Have you
left in it anything of value?"

Mother Anastasia was more animated than I had ever seen her before when
in the uniform of the house.

"Oh, pshaw!" she answered. "You know the people around here do not steal
things out of carriages. Let us step on."

"But first," I said, "I will run down and pull the carriage out of the
way of passing vehicles. It now stands almost across the road."

With a movement of impatience, she put her hand upon my arm. "Don't
trouble yourself about that hack; let it stand where it is. I wish to
speak with you, and do not let us waste our time."

I had no objection to speaking with Mother Anastasia, and, giving no
further thought to the abandoned vehicle, I walked with her to a spot
where a clump of straggling locust-