understand. /Go to bed!/"

In her room Mary Cary stood before the tall, old-fashioned bureau,
with its small swinging glass, and brushed her hair mechanically and
with thoughts afar off; then putting down her brush laid it on a letter
she had not seen before.

"Why, it's John's!" she said. "I wonder how it got here?" She held it
up, then put it back again. "It must have come on the last mail and
Hedwig brought it in. Silly!"

She braided her hair slowly, tied on its ribbons, then knelt by the big
tester bed to say her prayers. Her face rested sideways on the open
palms of her hands, crossed one on the other, and her eyes closed
sleepily.

"I'm too tired to read it to-night, and to-morrow I will be too busy.
But I'm glad it's here. In case of trouble--or anything, John is such--
a sure help."



Chapter VI

MIDNIGHT

The heat was oppressive. Miss Gibbie turned off all lights save the one
on the candle-stand by the high mahogany bed, with its valance of white
pique, drew the large wing chair close to the open window and sat
down in it. Over her gown she had put on a mandarin coat bought