"Yes--travelling always seems so delightful, doesn't it? I can't bear to pass through a station and see a London train go away without me. But somehow when one is going a journey it's never so nice. Things go wrong, and one gets cross and tired, and it isn't much fun after all." "Mebbe no'," said Mrs. Veitch drily, "but a body whiles likes the chance o' finding oot things for theirsel's." "Of course," said Elizabeth, feeling snubbed. Mrs. Veitch washed the last dish and set it beside the others to drip, then she turned to her visitor. "It's money ye're efter, I suppose?" Elizabeth held out one of the missionary papers and said in an apologetic voice: "It's the Zenana Mission. I called to see if you cared to give this year?" Mrs. Veitch dried her hands on a towel that hung behind the door, then reached for her purse (Elizabeth's heart nipped at the leanness of it) from its home in a cracked jug on the dresser-shelf. "What for wud I no' give?" she asked, and her tone was almost defiant. "Oh," said Elizabeth, looking rather frightened, "you're like Father, Mrs. Veitch. Father thinks it's a privilege to be allowed to give." "Ay, an' he's right. There's juist Kate and me, and it's no' verra easy for twae weemen to keep a roof ower their heads, but we'll never be the puirer for the mite we gie to the Lord's treasury. Is't a shillin'?" "Yes, please. Thank you so much. And how is Kate? Is she very busy just now?" "Ay. This is juist the busy time, ye ken, pairties and such like. She's workin' late near every nicht, and she's awful bad wi' indisgeestion, puir thing. But Kate's no' yin to complain." "I'm sure she's not," said Elizabeth heartily. "I wonder--some time when things are slacker--if she would make me a blouse or two? The last were so nice." "Were they?" asked Mrs. Veitch suspiciously. "Ye aye say they fit perfect, and Kate says to me, 'Mither,' she says, 'I wonder if Miss Seton doesna juist say it to please us?'" "What!" said Elizabeth, springing to her feet, "Well, as it happens, I am wearing a blouse of Kate's making now----" She quickly undid her waterproof and pulled off the woolly coat she wore underneath. "Now, Mrs. Veitch, will you dare to tell that doubting Kate anything but that her blouse fits perfectly?" Mrs. Veitch's face softened into a smile. "Eh, lassie, ye're awfu' like yer faither." she said. "In height," said Elizabeth, "and perhaps in a feature or two, but not, I greatly fear"--she was buttoning her waterproof as she spoke--"not, Mrs. Veitch, in anything that matters. Well, will you give Kate the message, and tell her not to doubt my word again? I'm frightfully hurt----" "Ay," said Mrs. Veitch. "Weel, ye see, she's no' used wi' customers that are easy to please. Are ye for aff?" "Yes, I must go. Oh! may I see the room? It was being papered the last time I was here. Was the paper a success?" Instead of replying, Mrs. Veitch marched across the passage and threw open the door with an air.