to some one before her, then crumpled in a sudden heap in her chair.
"Oh, God, don't let her go out of my life! I'm an old woman and she's
all I've got! All I've got!"

For some moments she lay still, then reached out for her handkerchief.
"What a variety of fools one female can be! Sit up and behave yourself,
Gibbie Gault! You came near making a bargain with the Lord then, and
if there's one thing more than another that must be hard for Him to have
patience with it's a person who tries to make a deal with Him. 'Prosper
me and I'll pray you' is the prayer of many. 'Keep evil from me; hold
death back; take care of me, and I'll build a new church, send out a
missionary, give my tenth and over! Don't hurt me, and I'll be good!'
Who doesn't pray like that some time or other in life? Well, you came
near doing it yourself. Propitiation is an instinct, and money is all
some have to offer as a bribe. To love mercy, to deal justly, and to
walk humbly with one's Maker are terms too hard for most of us. Much
easier to dope one's conscience with money. It's the only thing I've
got, money is, and there have been times when I'd have given its every
dollar for the thing it couldn't get. I came near mentioning it just
now!"

She wiped her eyes resentingly, rubbed her cheeks none too gently, then
opened her handkerchief and smoothed it into damp folds.

"Tears! Who would believe Gibbie Gault had a tear duct!" She shook
her head. "Gibbie Gault has everything every other woman has, and if
she chooses to hide a hungry heart under a sharp tongue whose business
is it? People may talk about her as much as they please, but they
sha'n't feel sorry for her!" She threw her handkerchief on the table.
"What idiots we are to go masquerading through life! All playing a