of the woman's feet, tripping her. She felt herself going headlong
and barely had time to think: "I'm falling with the child; it will
be killed and I'll be heartbroken for life," when a strong hand
seized and steadied her. Looking round she saw that her rescuer was
Jan Anderson of Ruffluck, who had lingered in the hallway as if
knowing he would be needed there. Before she could recover herself
sufficiently to thank him, he was gone.

And when she and her husband came driving home, there stood Jan
digging away. After the accident had been averted, he had felt that
he might safely go back to his work.

Neither Eric nor his wife said a word to him about his unseemly
behaviour. Instead, the mistress of Falla invited him in for
afternoon coffee, muddy and begrimed as he was from working in the
wet soil.


THE VACCINATION BEE

When the little girl of Ruffluck was to be vaccinated no one
questioned the right of her father to accompany her, since that
was his wish. The vaccinating took place one evening late in
August. When Katrina left home, with the child, it was so dark
that she was glad to have some one along who could help her over
stiles and ditches, and other difficulties of the wretched road.

The vaccination bee was held that year at Falla. The housewife had
made a big fire on the hearth in the living-room and thought it
unnecessary to furnish any other illumination, except a thin tallow