The Millers kept a tiny little house on a tiny little income; but gave of all they had to give, themselves, without stint. They were public-spirited women, if Fairport ever held any such. Although they had neither brothers nor cousins to go to the war, they had picked lint and made bandages and trudged with subscription papers and scrimped for weeks to have money to spend at the patriotic fairs. In consequence they were deeply respected, so respected that it was simply impossible to refuse their unselfish offering of their dearest god. "I think it just _noble_ of you," said Miss Tina. "Sister and I felt we _must_ help; so we brought the King George china and a little pencil head our sister Euphrosyne did. The one who died, you know. I'm sorry all your--art things--aren't in yet. No, I can't come to-morrow; I shall be very busy--sister may come--_thank_ you." * * * * * Both the keen young listeners knew why Miss Tina could not come; it was neither more nor less than the admission fee. "But I'll take care of that," said Emma to Claudia in the coal hold. "Elly is going to give her and Miss Ally each a season ticket." "Then we're _in_ for the King George china!" groaned Claudia softly. "We are," said Emma. "I've put it in a good but not too good a place, and Mr. Winslow is inspecting it now." "And he _knows_ about china; he's sent lovely things," mourned Claudia. "Oh, well, he knows about the Miller girls, too," said Emma, smiling; "I think he'll forgive us." "You'd better go explain," urged Claudia, "and throw in that landscape with the cow that seems to have five legs and belongs to Mr. Harness. Perhaps he'll forgive that, too." Emma went,--she was an amiable girl. She was not pretty like her sister, Mrs. Raimund, who had married the great railway man and was a power in Chicago society; but there was something in the radiant neatness and good humor of the plain sister which made her pleasant to look upon. Winslow's mouth and eyes relaxed at her greeting, and he smiled over her official quotation of the Millers' claims. "King George's table? H'mn; which table, second or third?" His eyes twinkled at Emma, whose own eyes twinkled back. "They're awfully good women," said she, in a kind of compunction. "None better," said he. As he passed on, with his little son at his side, she thought: "He isn't nearly so grim as I used to think." Mrs. Winslow and Mrs. Winter were a few paces behind. They halted before the china, which Mrs. Winter examined; but Mrs. Winslow's weary eyes lingered hardly a moment before they found some other object on which to rest and leave as briefly. "It is to be hoped this priceless relic won't be damaged in any way," said Mrs. Winter. "Still"--she bent confidentially toward Emma--"if such a calamity should occur, I know a shop in Chicago where you can get plenty for three dollars and ninety-nine cents." "I hope nothing will happen to it," said Emma, with stolid reticence.