as she felt of and held up to the light one thing after another. "Mrs.
Holcroft was evidently unnaturally large," she reflected aloud, "but then
these things could be made over, and much material be left to repair them,
from time to time. The dresses are of somber colors, becoming to a lady
somewhat advanced in years and of subdued taste."

By the time that the bed and all the chairs in the room were littered with
wearing apparel, Mrs. Mumpson said, "Jane, I desire you to bring the rocking
chair. So many thoughts are crowding upon me that I must sit down and think."

Jane did as requested, but remarked, "The sun is gettin' low, and all these
things'll have to be put back just as they was or he'll be awful mad."

"Yes, Jane," replied Mrs. Mumpson abstractedly and rocking gently, "you can
put them back. Your mind is not burdened like mine, and you haven't offspring
and the future to provide for," and, for a wonder, she relapsed into silence.
Possibly she possessed barely enough of womanhood to feel that her present
train of thought had better be kept to herself. She gradually rocked faster
and faster, thus indicating that she was rapidly approaching a conclusion.

Meanwhile, Jane was endeavoring to put things back as they were before and
found it no easy task. As the light declined she was overcome by a sort of
panic, and, huddling the things into the drawers as fast as possible, she
locked them up. Then, seizing her mother's hand and pulling the abstracted
woman to her feet, she cried, "If he comes and finds us here and no supper
ready, he'll turn us right out into the rain!"

Even Mrs. Mumpson felt that she was perhaps reaching conclusions too fast and
that some diplomacy might be necessary to consummate her plans. Her views,
however, appeared to her so reasonable that she scarcely thought of failure,