The clergyman flushed, this time with pleasure. "You are more than kind, Miss Doane. I believe I'd be willing to go to the police station every day if I could help the poor of our little town so easily." "It is all right then," said Drusilla, "and jest you let me know when you want things and you can always count on me, 'cause I'm so relieved. But I know you're hungry. I'll have some supper brought up here and you can talk with John. Are you goin', Mr. Thornton?" as the lawyer rose. "Let Daphne stay a while with me. I want her to come to my room and talk a while. I'm real upset and tired and I can listen to Daphne without having to think." "That sounds as if I talked nothing but nonsense!" Daphne pouted. Drusilla put her arm around the young girl. "Never you mind, dear; I like your chatter, so come with me." And they went to Drusilla's room. They drew up two easy chairs before the fire and as Drusilla settled into the luxurious depths of hers she chuckled to herself. "Five hundred dollars! I always knowed preachers was a luxury--but-- Well, talk to me, Daphne. What you been doin'?" "I'm so glad to get a chance to talk with you, Miss Doane. I've been intending to come over for a week, but I've been too busy. You know, Miss Doane, I have a real love affair on my hands, and it's giving me no end of trouble." Drusilla looked at her quickly. "Not your own love affair, Daphne?" Daphne flushed under the sharp gaze. "No," she said hastily; "Uncle Jim's." "I didn't know you had an Uncle Jim." "Oh, yes; Papa's younger brother." Drusilla laughed. "Well, if he is like your father I should think he could manage his own love affairs." "He is and he can't. He's just like father, only worse. He's so sort of stiff and cold that he freezes people; but he can't help it. He's been engaged to the _nicest_ girl--Mary Deane. You know she lives in the big house on the Denham road. She's the dearest girl, and I adore her, although she's much older than I am. Oh, she's very old--she must be thirty. Uncle Jim and she were to be married, and then all at once she broke the engagement and went to Egypt. Uncle Jim would never say why it was, and I didn't know until she came back last week, when I found out all about it. She cried when she told me. She said he wasn't human; that she couldn't pass her life with him, he's always so cold and correct. She says he never unbends, sort of stands up straight even when he kisses her. Yet I know she loves him; and Uncle Jim hasn't been the same man at all since the engagement was broken." "What are you going to do about it? You can't make him over." "I know it; but if they'd only meet he might be different. She won't come to our house for fear she'll meet him, and he is too proud to go and see her. And I know they are just breaking their hearts for each other." She was quiet for a moment. "I wish I could find some way to have them meet accidentally.