n I get to a place."

"It's partly this beautiful bracin' air," said Abby Pendexter.
"Sometimes such nice air comes just before a fall of snow. Don't it
seem to make anybody feel young again and to take all your troubles
away?"

Mrs. Hand was a comfortable, well-to-do soul, who seldom worried about
anything, but something in her companion's tone touched her heart, and
she glanced sidewise and saw a pained look in Abby Pendexter's thin
face. It was a moment for confidence.

"Why, you speak as if something distressed your mind, Abby," said the
elder woman kindly.

"I ain't one that has myself on my mind as a usual thing, but it does
seem now as if I was goin' to have it very hard," said Abby. "Well, I
've been anxious before."

"Is it anything wrong about your property?" Mrs. Hand ventured to ask.

"Only that I ain't got any," answered. Abby, trying to speak gayly.
"'T was all I could do to pay my last quarter's rent, twelve dollars.
I sold my hens, all but this one that had run away at the time, an' now
I 'm carryin' her up to Aunt Cynthy, roasted just as nice as I know
how."

"I thought you was carrying somethin'," said Mrs. Hand, in her usual
tone. "For me, I 've got a couple o' my mince pies. I thought the old
lady might like 'em; one we can eat for our dinner, and one she shall
have to keep. But were n't you unwise to sacrifice your poultry, Abby?
You always need eggs, and hens don't cost much to keep."

"Why, yes, I shall miss 'em," said Abby; "but, you see, I had to do
every way to get my rent-money. Now the shop 's shut down I have n't
got any way of earnin' anything, and I spent what little I 've saved
through the summer."

"Your aunt Cynthy ought to know it an' ought to help you," said Mrs.
Hand. "You 're a real foolish person, I must say. I expect you do for
her when she ought to do for you."

"She 's old, an' she 's all the near relation I 've got," said the
little woman. "I 've always felt the time would come when she 'd need
me, but it's been her great pleasure to live alone an' feel free. I
shall get along somehow, but I shall have it hard. Somebody may want
help for a spell this winter, but I 'm afraid I shall have to give up
my house. 'T ain't as if I owned it. I don't know just what to do,
but there'll be a way."

Mrs. Hand shifted her two pies to the other arm, and stepped across to
the other side of the road where the ground looked a little smoother.

"No, I wouldn't worr