so still, begging Barry's pardon for expressing myself so forcibly in his presence."
"You can't hurt my feelings, Ruth," exclaimed Barry. "Phil did his duty. And I must say that the woman behaved very decently about it afterward."
"So decently," added Westgate, "that Barry went up the other day to make her a gift. Tell the ladies about that adventure, Barry."
"Oh, I know all about it," exclaimed Miss Chichester. "Barry told me about it the same evening."
"But we don't know," said Ruth. "What happened, Barry?"
"Why," replied Barry, "I went up, as Phil says, to make her a gift of a little money, four hundred dollars, to be exact. We usually make a gift to widows of our employees. And, would you believe me, the woman declined to accept it."
"Remarkable!" exclaimed Mrs. Tracy.
"It's true," continued Barry. "But I'm going up again before long to try to persuade her to change her mind. I—I really think she needs the money."
"And Barry's going to take me with him. Aren't you, Barry?" broke in Miss Chichester.
"Why, I suppose so," replied Barry, "if you still want to go."
"Indeed, I want to go."
Then Mrs. Tracy inquired: "Is she the woman who is so irreligious? has no use for the Church? and wouldn't have a preacher at her husband's funeral?"
"She's the one," replied Westgate.
"Then I think," said Mrs. Tracy, turning to Barry, "that you might find better use for your money. Why don't you give it to religious people who are in want; people of our own church?"
"Why," responded Barry, "I think there's a fair chance of getting her into the church. I spoke to Farrar about her and he's going to see what he can do with her in a religious way."
