arrived breathless upon the scene, Mrs. Redding, for the dozenth time,
lavished her gratitude upon Lovey Mary:

"And to think you saved my precious baby! The doctor said it was the
only thing that could have saved him, yet we four helpless women had
no idea what to do. How did you know, dear? Where did you ever see it
done!"

Lovey Mary, greatly abashed, faced the radiant parents, the two portly
doctors, and the servants in the background.

"I learned on Tommy," she said in a low voice. "He swallered a penny
once that we was going to buy candy with. I didn't have another, so I
had to shake it out."

During the laugh that followed, she and Asia escaped, but not before
Mr. Redding had slipped a bill into her hand, and the beautiful Mrs.
Redding had actually given her a kiss!




CHAPTER XI

THE CHRISTMAS PLAY


"Not failure, but low aim, is crime."

As the holiday season approached, a rumor began to be circulated that