and women in the effort to do good, set every pulse to new beating, that
had ever throbbed with one spark of love for the Master; and there
succeeded one memorable quilting where Dame Gossip was almost entirely
excluded. As they scattered for home, after Betty's nice supper, Sara
found herself, as usual, at Miss Prue's side; and, looking up into her
friend's face, said, with a mischievous smile,--

"So that's why you wanted me to go to the quilting, is it? If you had
told me"--

"You wouldn't have gone!" interrupted her friend promptly. "I know you
so well, Sara! There's a--a--well, an aloofness about you that I feel
it my duty to struggle with," giving the girl a merry glance;
"_some_ people might call it pride,--I don't."

Sara looked troubled.

"I know you think so, Miss Prue, but I'm sure I don't feel so. What,
indeed, have I to be proud of?" sadly. "Only," with more spirit, "I
can't tell all I know to every one, and it bores me dreadfully to have
them tell me all they know!"

Miss Plunkett laughed with enjoyment. She liked to rouse Sara
occasionally; and listened with dancing eyes as the latter continued,--

"Now, yesterday, Zeba and Dolly came to call (by the way, I was reading
your Ruskin's 'Stones of Venice' so think what it was to be
interrupted!), and what do you suppose they talked about every minute?
Why, it seems Mrs. Felcher has a brother living in Boston, who has
invited her to visit him, and sent her a box of pretty things; they