"Did you lend--" she asked.

"--'N' there are folks just like that in this world too," Susan
continued, "'n' it beats me what the Lord makes 'em so for, for
they'll talk 'n' talk 'n' wander all over every subjeck in Creation to
come 'n' never even begin to get around to the point till you're clean
gi'n out with listenin'. 'F the minister's wife hadn't come that day
'n' hadn't talked as she did, I might 'a' been left less wore out and,
as a consequence, have told you that night what I ain't never told you
yet, for it was strong in my mind then 'n' it's strong in my mind now,
'n' bein' one o' them 's wastes no words, I'll state to you at once,
Mrs. Lathrop, 't before Mrs. Shores run away--'n' after she run away
too, f'r that matter--I was thinkin' very seriously o' adoptin' a
baby."

"A--" said Mrs. Lathrop, opening her eyes somewhat.

"A baby," repeated Susan. "I feel you ought to be the first one to
know it because, 's much 's I'm out, you'll naturally have the care of
it the most of the time."

Mrs. Lathrop clawed feebly among her pieces and seemed somewhat
bewildered as she clawed.

"Mrs. Shores' ba--" she queried.

Susan screamed.

"_Mrs. Lathrop!_"--she stopped knitting so that she might concentrate
her entire strength into the extreme astonishment which she desired to