Allegheny had carelessly brushed back her sunbonnet, exposing a
mane of damp, straight, brown hair of a quantity and length to
match her tremendous vigor of limb; but she remained standing at
the foot of the bed, too ill at ease to take a chair or perhaps
too agitated to see one. She was staring straight ahead, her eyes
fixed a foot or two over the caller's head.

Gray ignored her manifest embarrassment, made a gingerly
acquaintance with the chair of honor, and then devoted his
attention to the elder woman. At every move the coiled springs
under him strained and snapped alarmingly.

"We don't often see jewelry peddlers," the mother announced; "but,
sakes alive! things is changin' so fast we get a new surprise most
every day. I s'pose you got those rings in that valise?" She
indicated Gray's stout leather sample case.

"Precisely," said he. "If you have time I'd like to show them to
you."

Mrs. Briskow's bent figure stirred, she uttered a throaty
chuckle, and her weary face, lined with the marks of toil and
hardship, flushed faintly. Her misshapen hands tightly clasped
themselves and her faded eyes began to sparkle. Gray felt a warm
thrill of compassion at the agitation of this kindly, worn old
soul, and he rose quickly. As he gained his feet that amazing
chair behaved in a manner wholly unusual and startling; relieved
of strain, the springs snapped and whined, there was a violent
oscillation of the back, a shudder convulsed the thing, and it