yet."

"But you could live in town. Mame Thomas has a cousin who lives in a
little flat. She's a widow and keeps her girls in school. Couldn't you
go and live there. We could see each other--."

"The dish-water is getting cold. Really, Hester, you and I are getting
slack. I believe that is the first time in my life that I ever stood
talking and let my dish-water get cold. It isn't a good way of doing.
Mother never allowed us to be slack about such things. I was not brought
up to talk first and work afterward. Think of me, a woman my age, doing
such a thing!"

Taking up the dish-pan, she left the kitchen to empty the water. Hester
dried her tears. Her heart grew light. She understood Aunt Debby well
and she knew that the talk about letting the work stand was only a
chastisement Debby was giving herself, when she felt herself yielding.

The subject was again discussed during the evening. No decision was
reached. Debby, however, conceded enough to say that she would think the
matter over and would ask Miss Richards's opinion concerning it.

Hester was fully satisfied with this. She knew that her Aunt Debby never
forgot a promise. Hester knew also that Miss Richards would advise Debby
Alden to spend a winter in the city.

The following day, after the housework had been finished and the dinner
dishes put away, Debby Alden dressed and went to call upon her friend.

Hester went with her, as far as Jane Orr's home. "I'll be back shortly,
Hester. You may stay with Jane until I call for you."

She made her way down the main street of the little country town.

Hester paused as she was about to mount the steps, and turned to look at
the retreating figure. She could not restrain a smile. "It's certainly
odd, but Aunt Debby doesn't seem to know how pretty she is."

Hester's adjective was not strong enough to describe Aunt Debby. There
was something infinitely greater and finer in the woman than mere
prettiness.

Debby Alden at twenty-five had been scrawny, hard-featured and severe.
She then had the appearance of one who knew only the hard things of
life, and was giving expression to them in her features and carriage.
But this new Debby Alden was wholly different. Hester had brought love
and interest with her. Debby Alden was alive to the world about her, and
her active interests had given brilliance to her eyes and lightness to
her steps. The angles of twenty-five years had been softened into
curves. Debby was no longer