Before his wife could answer, the bell rung. The minister started to say something about so many interruptions just when he was busiest. The minister was a man, and therefore not quite perfect yet. His wife gave him a look that seemed to remind him of something, and a smile broke out over his face. "Maybe it's angels unawares," she said, as he walked toward the door. "Maybe it is, Mary. Don't you think their visits are very few and far between?" said the minister. But he was good-natured as he opened the door. The sight of the people who stood outside startled him. "We don't wonder that you are surprised," said Judge Vernon. "The fact is, that we are a little surprised at ourselves. But we all seemed to reach your door at the same time without knowing that the others were coming; and, if I'm not mistaken, we have all come on the same errand." "Come in," said the minister somewhat bewildered. And there came into the house Judge Vernon, the Hon. William Brooks, Deacon Culver, and Mr. Carlton. When they had greeted Mrs. Douglass and were seated, Judge Vernon said gravely, "I came to see Mr. Douglass about the work in Freetown." "That is what I came for," said the other men in turn. The minister looked bewildered yet. It was so seldom that anybody ever came voluntarily to see him about doing anything of that sort that he hardly knew what to say. The last men in the city that he expected to see, with the exception of his deacon, were the three men who were now in his house. Judge Vernon had never called on him. The Hon. William Brooks was a shrewd politician and an able lawyer, but his connection with the Emmanuel Church had never gone any further than attendance on services and financial support. Mr. Carlton was almost a stranger, and belonged to another denomination. So the Rev. Howard Douglass might be excused if he looked and felt somewhat surprised. But he was able to enjoy the unexpected co-operation of these men, and in a few minutes they were all in the midst of a great discussion over the minister's plan. "In brief," the minister was saying at the close of an hour's talk, "the plan includes:-- "1. A building constructed on purpose for the work we need to do. This will cost anywhere from two thousand to three thousand dollars. "2. This building must be equipped for kindergarten work. It must contain a day-nursery for the babies of mothers who are obliged to go away from home all day to labor, a kitchen where cooking can be taught, bath-rooms, a reading-room, smaller rooms for classes in sewing or music, a dispensary, an office, and a basement fitted for teaching trades.