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                      A SHADOW
66HAT is it, Katie?" A maid had entered the room.
    VV     "Mrs. Ellis, ma'am. She's through now."
            "Oh, yes, Katie. Let me see. How many days do I
owe her? Three and a half-and one last week? Hand me my
purse; no, not that one. I don't seem to have the right change in
either; and my check book is upstairs somewhere. Never mind.
I'don't want to drop my work in the middle of the design, I have
to count it all over again. Let it go for the present."
   Katie lingered, but Mrs. Gifford took up her work with an air
of finality.
   Before they got away for the summer, Mr. Gifford asked for
the bills. "Just check up for the large ones," said Mrs. Gifford,
"and let the little ones go till we get back."
   When they got home there were a good many odds and ends
to see to. The children's clothing needed attention. Mrs. Gifford
asked for Mrs. Ellis. She came. She was in a sort of pretence of
black. Her little girl had died; the sick one. It had been very
hot in the city. Things were awful high. It was hard to get along.
Yes, they should have taken her away.
   Mrs. Gifford took some flowers from a vase and handed them to
 Mrs. Ellis. Some of the leaves dropped.
    "It's too bad," she said. "Can you come Tuesday?"
                                  GERTRUDE RUSSELL LEWIS.