TIMOTHY, LADY GAY, AND RAGS PROVE FAITHFUL TO EACH OTHER.


Samantha went into the sitting-room and told the whole story to Miss
Avilda; told it simply and plainly, for she was not given to arabesques
in language, and then waited for a response.

"Well, what do you advise doin'?" asked Miss Cummins nervously.

"I don't feel comp'tent to advise, Vilda; the house ain't mine, nor yet
the beds that's in it, nor the victuals in the butt'ry; but as a
professin' Christian and member of the Orthodox Church in good and
reg'lar standin' you can't turn 'em ou'doors when it's comin' on dark
and they ain't got no place to sleep."

"Plenty of good Orthodox folks turned their backs on Martha when she was
in trouble."

"There may be Orthodox hogs, for all I know," replied the blunt
Samantha, who frequently called spades shovels in her search after
absolute truth of statement, "but that ain't no reason why we should
copy after 'em 's I know of."

"I don't propose to take in two strange children and saddle myself with
'em for days, or weeks, perhaps," said Miss Cummins coldly, "but I tell
you what I will do. Supposing we send the boy over to Squire Bean's.
It's near hayin' time, and he may take him in to help round and do
chores. Then we'll tell him before he goes that we'll keep the baby as
long as he gets a chance to work anywheres near. That will give us a
chance to look round for some place for 'em and find out whether they've