th their sack of oatmeal, firkin of butter, a little
sugar and flour," said Jack laughingly. "A fair division of labor. The
men of Yerbury shall provide work, and the women shall train the
inefficient how and where to spend money."

Sylvie glanced up with bright, inquiring eyes.

"Was it some more co-operation?" she asked.

Jack brought out his book, and read the story of the "Equitable Pioneers
of Rochdale" and their wonderful success from a small beginning. The
girl listened with wide-open eyes, and even Jane Morgan laid down her
knitting.

"The queen-bee and the workers again," said she, as Jack closed the
book. "It is not every man for himself, but every man for each other.
And it comes back, always."

CHAPTER XII.

"WHERE is grandmother?" Jack asked one morning late in May, as he came
in from the garden, and found her place at the table vacant.

"She does not feel very well this morning, and I told her there was no
need of rising with the lark," answered cousin Jane; but, though her
voice was cheerful, there was a new gravity in her face.

"It is something unusual"--

"She is getting to be an old lady, Jack. There, sit down to your
breakfast while it is nice and hot. No fear but what I will attend to
grandmother."

She had risen; but in the midst of her dressing her hands had lost their
cunning, her limbs their strength. Jane came to look at her in alarm.

"It's a warning," she said, with her grand old smile. "But I have no
pain, and so you can leave me here for a while. My strength may come
back."

Mrs. Darcy was much frightened.

"Remember that ninety-four is a good old age, and she has hardly had a
sick day in her life. After breakfast Jack might go over for Dr.
Maverick. He is sensible, and will not torment her with experiments."

Jack rather hurried through his meal, and then ran up to grandmother's
room. She put out her wrinkled hand, thin to be sure, but still slender
and smooth, with no knobby joints. A proud sort of beauty illumined the
old face, though the eyes were a little dull.

"Dear boy," and there was a curious quaver in her voice, "I've had to
give in at last. The Lord knows best. He has given me many a happy year
with you; yet I have never forgotten the folks over yonder. I shall be
glad to see them again,--your father, Jack, and the rest. 'Then they
came to the land of Beulah, where the sun shineth day and night, and
betook themselves to rest'--you know. We used to read