slung the whole batch, even if we'd had to go
without breakfast. I'd like to know how _you_ can tell whether you care
more than the rest of us. You think you are the only one that knows how
to be sorry."

There was a sudden silence--deep, ominous, it seemed to the man in the
hay, and he ventured to peep out at the combatants, but all he saw was
Faith standing rigid and white-faced in the corner. When she spoke, her
voice was frigid in its intensity.

"Come down from those beams, Peace Greenfield, and take the rest of
those eggs to the house!"

"I am coming down as fast as I can," began Peace's voice, equally
frigid. Then there was a sound of ripping, a dreadful clatter, a dull
thud, and Faith rushed forward with the agonized scream, "Oh, Peace,
Peace, are you hurt? I am sorry I was ugly! You _do_ care! Open your
eyes, Peace! Oh-h-h-h!"

The tramp started up in dismay, to behold Peace huddled in a heap at the
foot of the ladder, with frantic Faith bending over her. Before he had
stepped from the haymow, however, there was a rush of feet from without,
and four frightened girls dashed into the barn, followed by a tall,
young man in clerical garb; and the shabby figure slunk back into his
hiding place without making his presence known.

"What's the matter?"

"How did it happen?"

"Is she dead?"

"Run for the doctor!" cried the excited voices.

"Oh, Gail, I've killed her, I've killed her!" sobbed Faith.

"Stand back, girls," quietly commanded the minister, pushing the
trembling quartette almost roughly aside. "Let me examine her. Perhaps
she is only--"

"I'm every bit all right," exclaimed Peace crossly, winking her brown
eyes dazedly. "The fall _stunted_ me, I guess. I lit on my head. So did
the eggs. Mercy me! What a mess!"

"But look at her face!" wailed frightened and penitent Faith. "She has
turned black, and so have her hands!"

She certainly _had_ changed her color.

At Faith's despairing cry, the victim of the fall raised one of her
brown hands and looked at it fixedly; then said briefly, "That's ashes.
It's on my face, too. It will wash off, won't it?"

Without reply, the minister lifted her to her feet and drew her into the
doorway where the sunlight fell upon her. The sisters looked at the
grotesque picture, and exclamations of horror and dismay burst from
their lips.

"Peace, what have you done to yourself?"

"Are you sick?"

"What have you got on?"

She presented a strange appearance,