There were a great many people at the meeting, for it was an unusual gathering; and Peggy recognised several of the clergymen on the platform. The first speakers were decidedly uninteresting, she thought. The report which was read was quite above her head. But when the missionaries began to speak, Peggy's attention was rivetted. She followed their words with breathless interest. If they raised a laugh in their audience, Peggy joined heartily; if they told a sad story, big tears came to her eyes. And when at last a hymn was given out, and the collection-plates came round, her cup of joy was full. To the consternation and dismay of a very bashful young man, who held the plate towards her, Peggy slowly and deliberately hoisted her black stocking up, and deposited it bodily on the top of the coins. "'Tis my stockin', young man," she asserted in a loud whisper, distinctly audible to her nearest neighbours. "Take it on up, and don't yer drop it, for 'tis awful heavy!" For a moment the youth hesitated; but Peggy's terrific frown and piercing whisper sent him flying from her. "Don't you touch it, young man! It's for them there missionaries to take to the heathen! 'Tis my stockin', I tell you! Don't you lay your finger on it, for I've got my eye on yer!" Her eyes did indeed follow him, but the collection was taken into an inner room. And after lingering some minutes after the meeting was over, Peggy slowly went towards the door. "What does yer expect?" she asked herself angrily. "You've sent your stockin' in, and there be an end to it. Do yer wants 'em all to come round you and praise yer up? You be a downright silly, Peg, that be what yer be!" She was just on the threshold of the door when a hand was laid on her arm. Looking up she saw a little shabbily dressed woman standing by her. "I was sitting behind you and saw you lift a stocking upon the plate," she said gently. "Do you mind telling me what was in it?" "My savin's," said Peggy, a little shyly. "You see 'm, I've bin expectin' to go to a meetin' for a long while, and so I've saved up for it." "I wonder how much you have been able to save?" [Illustration: "I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YER!"] "You see 'm, I've had one or two presents. One very big one—a whole ten pounds—that makes it come very high, and my missuses has made me buy some clothes, so I only got together three pounds two shillings and ninepence halfpenny." "And what wages do you get?" "I'm goin' to get eight pounds a year this year 'm." The lady walked on. She had an income herself of eight hundred a year, and had put half a crown into the plate. Her money was her god, and she even grudged spending it on herself. She had been persuaded to go to the meeting to hear her nephew speak, for he was one of the missionaries, and she had felt almost sorry that she allowed a generous impulse to induce her to part with half a crown, when sixpence would have sufficed.