The worst of it was, it was a case in which Carolyn could not interfere, no matter how good her intentions might be. Papa Cameron was seldom as stern as he was in his decision to do nothing more for Mr. and Mrs. Laird and Baby Laird. The pale lady's husband must have done something very dreadful, or Carolyn's father would not have come to the determination he had. The memory of her poor friends and their unfortunate situation thrust itself into the way of Carolyn May's enjoyment more frequently than even her mother dreamed. Faithful little soul that she was, in the midst of a most enjoyable time--when she and Freda Payne were revelling in the delights of a "shavings party" at Mr. Parlow's carpenter shop, for instance--thought of the pale lady and her baby made Carolyn suddenly grave. "What _is_ the matter, Car'lyn May?" demanded Freda. "_Don't_ look like that--so big eyed and all--all--Well! my grandmother would say somebody must be walking on your grave when you look like that." "Why!" said Carolyn May, "I haven't any grave--yet. Uncle Joe owns a lot in the churchyard at the Corners, and so does Aunty Rose. But I haven't picked out _my_ grave yet. Why, of course not! I shan't need a grave for ever and ever so long. "But I was just thinking when you spoke to me, Freda." "What ever were you thinking about?" demanded her friend, to whom Carolyn was always a source of wonder because of her "oddities." "Why," said Carolyn May very earnestly, "I was thinking how too bad it is that folks who do wrong don't have to go off by themselves and keep away from the good folks. Then good folks wouldn't have to suffer for the bad folks' doin's." "Why--!" squealed Freda. "That's dividin' the sheep from the goats, like it says in the Bible. And that can't be done till we get to heaven." "Can't it?" murmured Carolyn. "Of course not! And I guess it's wicked for you to even think of its bein' done now," added Freda complacently. "Oh, dear!" sighed her little friend. "It does seem an awful long while to wait for lots of sensible things to be done. It's too bad we can't have 'em changed for the better here, and not have to wait till we get to heaven." Such unorthodox doctrines as this quite shocked Freda; but there was something daring and enticing about Carolyn's flights of fancy even upon religious subjects. The little country girl wondered if all city-born girls were like Carolyn May. The latter had become noted for her "imagination" during the few months she had attended the red schoolhouse at the Corners.