had ceased with his immediate usefulness. But he appeared resolved to
carry it off easily. "Well," he said, "I suppose I must go and pick my
peas."

No one said anything to this. When the factotum had disappeared round the
corner of the house, Mrs. Alger turned her head' aside, and glanced
downward with an air of fatigue. In this manner Barlow was dismissed from
the ladies' minds.

"I presume," said young Mrs. Scott, with a deferential glance at Grace,
"that the sun is good for a person with lung-difficulty."

Grace silently refused to consider herself appealed to, and Mrs. Merritt
said, "Better than the moon, I should think."

Some of the others tittered, but Grace looked up at Mrs. Merritt and
said, "I don't think Mrs. Maynard's case is so bad that she need be
afraid of either."

"Oh, I am so glad to hear it!" replied the other. She looked round, but
was unable to form a party. By twos or threes they might have liked to
take Mrs. Maynard to pieces; but no one cares to make unkind remarks
before a whole company of people. Some of the ladies even began to say
pleasant things about Mr. Libby, as if he were Grace's friend.

"I always like to see these fair men when they get tanned," said Mrs.
Alger. "Their blue eyes look so very blue. And the backs of their
necks--just like my boys!"

"Do you admire such a VERY fighting-clip as Mr. Libby has on?" asked Mrs.