kind of tearful whisper, 'Be of good cheer--this trial will pass!'"

"How queer!" exclaimed Margaret.

Penrod sighed, and returned somewhat absently to his soup.

"Well, I don't know," said Mrs. Schofield thoughtfully. "Of course she's
heard about the outbreak of measles in Dayton, since they had to close
the schools, and she knows you live there----"

"But doesn't it seem a VERY exaggerated way," suggested Margaret, "to
talk about measles?"

"Wait!" begged Aunt Clara. "After she said that, she said something even
queerer, and then put her handkerchief to her eyes and hurried away."

Penrod laid down his spoon again and moved his chair slightly back from
the table. A spirit of prophecy was upon him: he knew that someone was
going to ask a question which he felt might better remain unspoken.

"What WAS the other thing she said?" Mr. Schofield inquired, thus
immediately fulfilling his son's premonition.

"She said," returned Mrs. Farry slowly, looking about the table, "she
said, 'I know that Penrod is a great, great comfort to you!'"

There was a general exclamation of surprise. It was a singular thing,
and in no manner may it be considered complimentary to Penrod, that this
speech of Miss Spence's should have immediately confirmed Mrs. Farry's
doubts about her in the minds of all his family.