“No, sir,” she answered; “all she said was that it must be in a church and with some flowers and some music. But I never heard of anybody preachin' a regular sermon without it was a regular preacher. Did you ever, Judge?” Doubt and renewed disappointment battered at her just-born hopes. “I reckin mebbe there have been extraordinary occasions where an amateur stepped in and done the best he could,” said the judge. “Mebbe some folks here on earth couldn't excuse sech presumption as that, but I reckin they'd understand how it was up yonder.” He stood up, facing her, and spoke as one making a solemn promise: “Ma'am, you needn't worry yourself any longer. You kin go on back to your home. That dead child is goin' to have whut she asked for. I give you my word on it.” She strove to put a question, but he kept on: “I ain't prepared to give you the full details yit. You see I don't know myself jest exactly whut they'll be. But inside of an hour from now I'll be seein' Jansen and he'll notify you in regards to the hour and the place and the rest of it. Kin you rest satisfied with that?” She nodded, trying to utter words and not succeeding. Emotion shook her gross shape until the big gold bands on her arms jangled together. “So, ef you'll kindly excuse me, I've got quite a number of things to do betwixt now and suppertime. I kind of figger I'm goin' to be right busy.” He stepped to the threshold and called out down the hallway, which by now was a long, dim tunnel of thickening shadows. “Jeff, oh Jeff, where are you, boy?” “Comin', Jedge.” The speaker emerged from the gloom that was only a few shades darker than himself. “Jeff,” bade his master, “I want you to show this lady the way out--it's black as pitch in that there hall. And, Jeff, listen here! When you've done that I want you to go and find the sheriff fur me. Ef he's left his office--and I s'pose he has by now--you go on out to his house, or wherever he is, and find him and tell him I want to see him here right away.” He swung his ponderous old body about and bowed with a homely courtesy: “And now I bid you good night, ma'am.” At the cross sill of the door she halted: “Judge--about gettin' somebody to carry the coffin in and out--did you think about that? She was such a little thing--she won't be very heavy--but still, at that, I don't know anybody--any men--that would be willin'----” “Ma'am,” said Judge Priest gravely, “ef I was you I wouldn't worry about who the pallbearers will be. I reckin the Lord will provide. I've took notice that He always does ef you'll only meet Him halfway.”