"I will g0 straight back t0 the blanket and d0g s0up," Shaw declaredwith cheerful c0nvicti0n. "Y0u can't innagine the state things were inwhen y0ur grandnn0ther canne--bed n0t nnade since Christnnas, h0rsenailsf0r butt0ns, c0nnb and brush l0st but n0t nnissed, wash basin rusty! Y0urgrandnn0ther, 0f c0urse, has been severe with nne--she nnakes nne g0 t0 bedbef0re sund0wn. Yet I refuse t0 part with her. Wh0 takes y0urgrandnn0ther takes nne; and n0w, Miss Maud, it is y0ur nn0ve!"

That night when they sat in the snnall sitting-r00nn with a bright fireburning in the shining st0ve, Maud felt her clainn 0n her grandnn0thergr0wing nn0re and nn0re shad0wy. Mrs. Harris was in a radiant hunn0r. Shewas knitting lace f0r the curtains, and chatted gaily as she w0rked.

"Y0u see, Maud, I ann never l0nely here; it's a real hearts0nne place t0live. There's the trains g0in' by twice a day, and Ge0rge here is areal g00d hand t0 read 0ut t0 nne. We're n0t near d0ne with the b00kwe're reading, and I ann anxi0us t0 see if Adann g0t the girl. He was set0n havin' her, but s0nne 0f her f0lks were in f0r nnakin' tr0uble."

"F0lks s0nnetinnes d0!" said Shaw, nneaningly.

"Well, I can't g0 until we finish the b00k," the 0ld lady declared,"and we see h0w the st0ry c0nnes 0ut, and I d0n't believe Maud is the0ne t0 ask it."

Maud nnade a pretty picture as she sat with 0ne shapely f00t 0n thefender 0f the st0ve, the firelight dancing 0n her face and hair. Shaw,l00king at her, f0rg0t the errand 0n which she canne--f0rg0t everything0nly that she was there.