etch of years that held in them
no human sympathy? What should she do? What ought she to do? Should she go
or stay?

As she lingered in the darkness, her weary head heavy against the window
frame, she wrestled with the future and conscientiously tried to reach
some conclusion. She was eager to do what was right. Had Ellen been sick
or feeble, as she had been led to suppose, she would not have questioned
leaving her, querulous and tyrannical though she was. But this woman was
all-sufficient and needed no one. Why should she bury her life in this
cruel, rancorous atmosphere? Would her own sweetness survive the daily
companionship of such a person; rather, dominated by Ellen's powerful
character, might she not become inoculated by its poison and herself
harden into a being as merciless and self-centered? So deep was her
reverie that she did not hear the tap upon the door. A second afterward
the knob turned softly and her aunt entered.

"You ain't in bed?" she inquired in a high-pitched whisper.

"No."

"That's lucky, I hoped you wouldn't be. Come in my room quick. I want you
should see what the Howes are doin'. They're out fussin' again over that
thing they buried this afternoon." Ellen was obviously excited.

Sure enough! From the window that looked toward the Howe farm, three
figures could be seen in the silvery light, grouped together beneath the
old linden. They were armed, as before, with shovels, and all of them were
digging.

"It doesn't look as if they were filling in the hole," Lucy remarked,
interested in spite of herself. "They seem to be digging up what they
buried."

"That's just what I thought," responded Ellen.

"Yes, they are shoveling the dirt out again," declared the girl.

For quite a while the two stood watching the frenzied movements of their
neighbors.

Then Ellen gave a cry.

"See! See!" she ejaculated. "They're histin' the bag out. Did you ever see
such doin's? I'd give my soul to know what they're up to. Nothin' good,
you may be sure of that--or they wouldn't take the dead of night to do it.
There, they've got the thing out now, and two of 'em are tugging it off
between 'em. The other one's fillin' in the hole and trampin' down the
earth. Seem's if I'd simply have to go over there an' find out what it's
all about!"

Lucy smiled at her aunt's exasperated tone.

"Why don't you?" she asked mischievously.

Ellen gave a short laugh.

"The only way the Howes will ever get me on their