one aggressive action of her life was over. She began to
shrink in face and stature. Of her harum-scarum spirit
there was nothing left but the little screech. Within a few
years she looked as small and mean as she was.

Thor's chariot crept along. Thea approached the house
unwillingly. She didn't care about the strawberries, any-
how. She had come only because she did not want to hurt
Dr. Archie's feelings. She not only disliked Mrs. Archie,
she was a little afraid of her. While Thea was getting the
heavy baby-buggy through the iron gate she heard some
one call, "Wait a minute!" and Mrs. Archie came running
around the house from the back door, her apron over her
head. She came to help with the buggy, because she was
afraid the wheels might scratch the paint off the gate-
posts. She was a skinny little woman with a great pile of
frizzy light hair on a small head.

"Dr. Archie told me to come up and pick some straw-
berries," Thea muttered, wishing she had stayed at home.

Mrs. Archie led the way to the back door, squinting and
shading her eyes with her hand. "Wait a minute," she said
again, when Thea explained why she had come.

She went into her kitchen and Thea sat down on the
porch step. When Mrs. Archie reappeared she carried in