She turned quickly and said, in a low tone, "You are right, Mr. Morton. Friends do not keep a debit and credit account with each other. I shall not forget, however, that Reuben is right also, even though I may seem to sometimes," and she left the room. I was by the open window, and I do not think any one heard her words except Zillah, and she did not understand them. I stood looking after her, forgetful of all else, when a hand laid upon my arm caused me to look around, and I met Adah's gaze, and it was as fixed and intent as that of a child. "She doesn't owe thee any more than I do," she said gravely. "I wish I could do something for thee." "Why do you say 'thee' to me now?--you always said 'you' before," I asked. "I don't know. It seems as if I couldn't say 'you' to thee any more," and a delicate color stole into her face. "We all feel as if thee were one of us now," explained Mrs. Yocomb gently, "and I trust that life will henceforth seem to Adah a more sacred thing, and worthy of more sacred uses." And she passed into the house to prepare for supper. Mr. Yocomb followed her, and Reuben went down to the barn. "If you live to grow like your mother, Miss Adah, you will be the most beautiful woman in the world," I said frankly, for I felt as if I could speak to her almost as I would to Zillah. Her eyes drooped and her color deepened as she shook her head and murmured: "I'd rather be Emily Warren than any other woman in the world." Her words and manner so puzzled me that I thought she had not fully recovered from the effects of the shock, and I replied, in an off-hand way: "After a few weeks of teaching stupid children to turn noise into music you would gladly be yourself again." She paid no heed to this remark, but, with the same intent, exploring look, asked: "Thee was the first one I saw when I came to last night?" "Yes, and you were much afraid of me." "I was foolish--I fear mother's right, and I've always been foolish." "Your manner last night was most natural. I was a stranger, and a hard-looking customer, too, when I entered your room." "I hope I didn't look very--very bad." "You looked so like a beautiful piece of marble that I feared you were dead." "Thee wouldn't have cared much." "Indeed I would. If you knew how anxious I was about Zillah--" "Ugh!" she interrupted, with an expression of strong disgust, "I might have been a horrid, blackened thing if it hadn't been for thee." "Oh, hush!" I cried; "I merely threw a couple of pails of water on the roof. Please say no more about it." She passed her hand over her brow, and said hesitatingly: "I'm so puzzled--I feel so strangely. It seems an age since yesterday." "You've had a very severe shock, Miss Adah." "Yes, that may be it; but it's so strange that I was afraid of thee." "Why, Miss Adah, I was wet as a drowned rat, and had a black mark across my nose. I would have made an ideal burglar."