“Yes, I really think it did. She told Lem Bennett—he was the worst of the crowd—that she saved his life so he could have a chance to be a better man, and that she loved his children and wanted them to have a better father. Then she had a long talk with the MacGowans. After that the county went dry—she had a hand in that, too—and there wasn’t any more trouble. Oh, Miss Clark is fine, I tell you!” “I should think she was,” said Nancy Jane, her eyes open wide with admiration. “Come on, let’s go in and see how she lives.” Gincy was already inside. The rest followed. There was a large bookcase filled with books and magazines, a piano, a big fireplace with a comfortable seat and chair near it. “Miss Clark made that seat,” said Raphael. “We boys made the chair, and the piano was sent her by some rich people up north. We helped her paint and varnish the floors, too.” “She has some new rugs,” said Miss Howard. “They’re like those made down at the loom house.” There were three made of rags with patterns in the borders. They were blue and white. The curtains were white cheesecloth with a blue, stencilled pattern across the bottom. A few water colours and Hoffman’s Christ were the only pictures. “Come on back and help me find the oil stove; I’m getting hungry,” called Kizzie from the dining-room. “Isn’t this cosy?” she asked, pointing to the long, built-in cupboard and the little square table in the centre of the room. Beyond, was the kitchen. A large range occupied one corner near the sink. “We’ve made candy and popped corn here many a time,” said Raphael. “Miss Clark has a cooking class every week this year for the older people.” The oil stove was soon discovered and the coffee over. They ate their dinner in the dogtrot and the crumbs went to the chickens who were sociably inclined. Then they started for the church house, going through the garden and a long arbour. “What lovely flowers!” Mallie stopped to admire the larkspurs and fall roses until the rest had disappeared inside the church, then she followed. It was a T-shaped building, one upright being used for the day school and the other for the Sunday-school and monthly preaching. In case of a crowd the two rooms could be thrown into one. A tiny, portable organ occupied the space near the pulpit. Various mottoes, picture cards, and Bible charts adorned the walls. There were a large fireplace and a small sheet-iron stove, a dozen long benches which could be stacked at one side when they met for sociability, and a little Sunday-school library sitting in neat uprightness on the open shelves.