Mrs. Van Deuser stared hard at her guest. She found herself actually hesitating before Philura Rice. Then she drew her massive figure to its full height, and again bent the compelling light of her gold-rimmed glasses full upon the small person of her kinswoman. "What--er--I do not understand," she began lamely. "_Where_ did you obtain the money for all this!" Miss Philura raised her eyebrows ever so little--somehow they seemed to suit the clear blue eyes admirably today. "The money?" she repeated, in a tone of surprise. "Why, out of the bank, of course." Upon the fact that she had drawn out and expended in a single morning nearly the whole of the modest sum commonly made to supply her meager living for six months Miss Philura bestowed but a single thought. "In the all-encircling Good," she said to herself serenely, "there is plenty of money for me; why, then, should I not spend this?" CHAPTER TWO The village of Innisfield was treated to a singular surprise on the Sunday morning following, when Miss Philura Rice, newly returned from her annual visit to Boston, walked down the aisle to her accustomed place in the singers' seat. Whispered comment and surmise flew from pew to pew, sandwiched irreverently between hymn, prayer and sermon. Indeed, the last-mentioned portion of the service, being of unusual length and dullness, was utilized by the female members of the congregation in making a minute inventory of the amazing changes which had taken place in the familiar figure of their townswoman. "Philury's had money left her, I shouldn't wonder;" "Her Cousin Van Deuser's been fixin' her up;" "She's a-goin' to be married!" were some of the opinions, wholly at variance with the text of the discourse, which found their way from mouth to mouth. Miss Electa Pratt attached herself with decision to her friend, Miss Rice, directly the service was at an end. "I'm just _dying_ to hear all about it!" she exclaimed, with a fond pressure of the arm linked within her own--this after the two ladies had extricated themselves from the circle of curious and critical faces at the church door. Miss Philura surveyed the speaker with meditative eyes; it seemed to her that Miss Pratt was curiously altered since she had seen her last. "_Have_ you had a fortune left you?" went on her inquisitor, blinking enviously at the nodding plumes which shaded Miss Philura's blue eyes. "Everybody _says_ you have; and that you are going to get married soon. I'm sure you'll tell _me_ everything!" Miss Philura hesitated for a moment. "I haven't exactly had money left me," she began; then her eyes brightened. "I have all that I need," she said, and straightened her small figure confidently. "And _are_ you going to be married, dear?" "Yes," said Miss Philura distinctly. "Well, I _never_--Philura Rice!" almost screamed her companion. "Do tell me _when_; and _who_ is it?"