"I don't think you can yet. Your sympathies are touched now, but she'll watch
you and irritate you in a hundred ways. Don't her very presence make you
uncomfortable?"

"Yes."

"Well, then, she can't stay," he began decidedly. "This is your home, and no
one shall make you uncomfortable--"

"But I should be a great deal more uncomfortable if she didn't stay," Alida
interrupted. "I should feel that I did not deserve my home. Not long ago my
heart was breaking because I was friendless and in trouble. What could I
think of myself if I did not entreat you in behalf of this poor child?"

"Thunder!" ejaculated Holcroft. "I guess I was rather friendless and troubled
myself, and I didn't know the world had in it such a good friend as you've
become, Alida. Well, well! You've put it in such a light that I'd be almost
tempted to take the mother, also."

"No," she replied, laughing; "we'll draw the line at the mother."

"Well, I'll take Jane to town this afternoon, and if her mother will sign an
agreement to leave us all in peace, we'll give up our old cozy comfort of
being alone. I suppose it must be a good deed, since it's so mighty hard to
do it," he concluded with a wry face, leading the way to the kitchen again.
She smiled as if his words were already rewarding her self denial.

"Well, Jane," he resumed, "Mrs. Holcroft has spoken in your behalf, and if we
can arrange matters so that you can stay, you will have her to thank chiefly.