but she could be as
stubborn and difficult as possible and she was certainly exhausted
from exposure. It was a harder task than lifting the great window,
but, at last, by dint of pushing and coaxing, even shoving, the inert
small woman was forced through the opening and dropped upon the matted
floor, where she remained motionless.

Dolly squeezed herself after and stooped above her guest, anxiously
asking:

"Did that hurt you? I'm sorry, but there was no other way. Please try
to get up and lie down. See? There are two nice lounges here and lots
of 'comfy' chairs. Shawls and couch-covers in plenty--Why! it'll be
like a picnic!"

The guest made no effort to rise but waved the other aside with a
sleepy, impatient gesture, then fell to shaking again as if she were
desperately cold. Dorothy was too frightened to heed these objections
and since it was easier to roll a lounge to the sufferer than to
argue, she did so and promptly had her charge upon it; but she first
stripped off the damp cotton gown from the shaking body and wrapped it
in all the rugs and covers she could find. She did not attempt to
penetrate further into the house then, because she knew that Ephraim
had bolted and barred the door leading thither. She had watched him do
so with some amusement, early in the evening, and had playfully asked
him if he expected any burglars. He had disdained to reply further
than by shaking his wise old head, but had omitted no precaution
because of her raillery.

"Well, this may not be as nice as in my own room but it's a deal
better than out of doors. That poor little thing isn't shivering so
much and--she's asleep! She's tired out, whoever she is and wherever
she came from, and I'm tired, also. I can't do any better till
daylight comes and I'll curl up in this big chair and go to sleep,
too," said Dorothy to herself.

She wakened to find the sunlight streaming through the glass and to
hear a chorus of voices demanding, each in a various key:

"Why, Dorothy C!" "How could you?" "Yo' done gib we-all de wussenes'
sca', you' ca'less chile! What yo' s'posin' my Miss Betty gwine ter
say when she heahs ob dis yeah cuttin's up? Hey, honey? Tell me dat!"

But Dinah's reproofs were cut short as her eye fell upon the
rug-heaped lounge and saw the pile of them begin to move. As yet no
person was visible and she stared at the suddenly agitated covers as
if they were bewitched. Presently, they were flung aside; and revealed
upon