"You must not cast about for ways and means," said Jane firmly. "Life is like a sunshiny warm day, and our part is to breathe and feel and thank God,--not to look for the sun to surely cease shining." "But it does stop," wailed Susan, "often." "Yes, thank Heaven," said Jane, "if it didn't, we'd be burnt up alive by our own vitality." "Oh, dear," said Susan briefly, "you've an answer for everything. Well, let's get dinner." They went into the kitchen. CHAPTER XII EMILY'S PROJECT AFTER dinner that day Emily Mead came with her work. Emily Mead was one of those nondescript girls who seem to spring up more and more thickly in these troublous, churned-up times of ours. Too pretty to be plain, too unattractive to be beautiful. Too well-to-do to need to work, too poor to attain to anything for which she longed. Too clever to belong to her class, not clever enough to rise above it. Altogether a very fit subject for Jane to "sunshine," as her aunt put it. "How do you get along with old Mrs. Croft?" she asked, directly she was seated. "She's asleep yet," Jane said; "she was so restless all night." "She always sleeps days and is awake all night; didn't you know that before?" queried Emily, in surprise. "Some one ought to have told you." "It doesn't matter," said Jane serenely. There was never any bravado in her serenity; it was quite sincere. "That was what made Katie so mad," Emily continued. "She said it gave her her days, to be sure, but, as she couldn't very well sleep, too, all day, she never really had any time herself." "We'll get along all right," said Jane quietly; "old people have ways, and then they change and have other ways, and the rest must expect to be considerate." "Mercy on us, I wonder what she'll change to next," said Susan, with feeling. She had just returned from listening at the invalid's door. "Don't worry, Auntie,--just remember!" Jane's smile was at once bright and also a bit admonitory. "I'm trying to believe that everything's all right always, too," said Susan to Emily, "but, oh, my!" They went out on the shady side of the house to where a little table stood, which was made out of a board nailed into a cut-off tree stump. Jane and Emily carried chairs, and Susan brought her darning basket. It was delightfully pleasant. From time to time Jane or her aunt slipped in and listened at the door, but old Mrs. Croft slept on like a baby. "I do wonder if Katie Croft has really gone for good!" Emily said to Susan, while Jane was absent on one of these errands. "I can't trust myself even with my own opinions," said Susan reservedly; "I haven't much time to get changed before Matilda comes, you know, and I want to believe in Jane's religion if I can. It's so kind of warm and comforting. I like it." "Jane," Emily said, turning towards her when she returned, "I've come to-day on an awfully serious errand, and I want you to help me." "I will certainly, if I can. What is it?"