"Ah, but Mis' Smith, there 's too many people that goes about the world thinkin' that they know jest what the Lord's will is; but I have my doubts about 'em, though, mind you, I ain't a-mentionin' no names: 'no name, no blame.'" Mrs. Martin pressed her lips and shook her head, a combination of gestures that was eloquent with meaning. It was too much for her companion. Her curiosity got the better of her caution. "Dear me!" she exclaimed. "What is it _now_?" "Oh, nothin' of any consequence at all. It ain't fur me to be a-judgin' my neighbours or a-talkin' about 'em. I jest thought I 'd have you over to tea, you 're sich good company." Mrs. Smith was so impatient that she had forgotten her sewing and it lay neglected in her lap, but in no other way did she again betray her anxiety. She knew that there was something new to be told and that it would be told all in good time. But when gossip has become a fine art it must be conducted with dignity and precision. "Let me see, I believe you take two lumps o' sugar an' no milk." Mrs. Martin knew perfectly what her friend took. "I don't know how this tea is. I got it from the new grocery over at the corner." She tasted it deliberately. "It might 'a' drawed a little more." Slowly she stirred it round and round, and then, as if she had drawn the truth from the depths of her cup, she observed, "This is a queer world, Mis' Smith." Mrs. Smith sighed a sigh that was appreciative and questioning at once. "It is indeed," she echoed; "I 'm always a-sayin' to myself what a mighty cur'us world this is." "Have you ever got any tea from that new grocery-man?" asked her companion, with tantalising irrelevance. "No: I hain't never even been in there." "Well, this here 's middlin' good; don't you think so?" "Oh, it 's more than middlin', it 's downright good. I think I must go into that grocery some time, myself." "I was in there to-day, and met Mis' Murphy: she says there 's great goin'-ons up at Miss Prime's--I never shall be able to call her Mis' Hodges." "You don't tell me! She and Brother 'Liphalet 'ain't had a fallin' out already, have they? Though what more could you expect?" "Oh, no, indeed. It ain't no fallin' out, nothin' o' the kind." "Well, what then? What has Miss Hester--I mean Mis' Hodges been doin' now? Where will that woman stop? What 's she done?" "Well, you see,--do have another cup of tea, an' help yoreself to that bread an' butter,--you see, Freddie Brent has finished at the high school, an' they 've been wonderin' what to make him." "Well, what air they a-goin' to make him? His father was a good stone-mason, when he was anything."