she would die to see it. He said he could bake the cake all right . . . he
was used to that . . . and then he asked for our list and he put down four
dollars. So you see we were rewarded. But even if he hadn't given a cent
I'd always feel that we had done a truly Christian act in helping him."

Theodore White's was the next stopping place. Neither Anne nor Diana
had ever been there before, and they had only a very slight acquaintance
with Mrs. Theodore, who was not given to hospitality. Should they go to
the back or front door? While they held a whispered consultation Mrs.
Theodore appeared at the front door with an armful of newspapers.
Deliberately she laid them down one by one on the porch floor and the
porch steps, and then down the path to the very feet of her mystified
callers.

"Will you please wipe your feet carefully on the grass and then walk on
these papers?" she said anxiously. "I've just swept the house all over
and I can't have any more dust tracked in. The path's been real muddy
since the rain yesterday."

"Don't you dare laugh," warned Anne in a whisper, as they marched along
the newspapers. "And I implore you, Diana, not to look at me, no matter
what she says, or I shall not be able to keep a sober face."

The papers extended across the hall and into a prim, fleckless parlor.
Anne and Diana sat down gingerly on the nearest chairs and explained
their errand. Mrs. White heard them politely, interrupting only twice,
once to chase out an adventurous fly, and once to pick up a tiny wisp
of grass that had fallen on the carpet from Anne's dress. Anne felt
wretchedly guilty; but Mrs. White subscribed two dollars and paid the
money down . . . "to prevent us from having to go back for it," Diana said