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"Didn't she have no sense of decency a-tall?" flared Mrs. Roxie, "Kissin' like that in public!"

"Outrageous!" echoed Mrs. Gumerton.

Gossip of this prolonged caress was peculiarly irritating to both of the good women, because it just happened that neither of them had been kissed in any sort of fashion for years and years.

Mrs. Biggers stopped her galloping seam to say, "I do think Brother Perry ort to be informed of how she's treated him— Law, look here, this hemmer ain't been ketchin' for two yards! Well, that pore woman will jest have to put up with it. I'm in such a rush! Sally, would you min' goin' back over this while I run down an' warn Brother Perry—he ort to know it!"

Mrs. Gumerton, who also wanted to spread the news, began slowly getting up.

"I'm sorry, Roxie, but I jest haven't got time."

"Now, Sally," snapped Mrs. Roxie determinedly. "I don't know how it is that ever' bit of the work done by the Willin' Workers gits put off on me. There's not a thing in the worl' to hinder you from doin' a little. It won't hurt you none! Me, bent down to it all day long an' ha'f the night! Now you jest take holt here, and when you git this finished, here's another'n cut out"—she jabbed it at her. "I'll be down at Brother Perry's jest a minute!"

The force of her superior will moved Mrs. Gumerton unwillingly to the machine and seated her in the chair. The guest went slowly back to the point which the hostess, in her rush, had skipped.

Mrs. Biggers seized an old shawl, clapped it around her thin shoulders as protection against the faint autumn chill in the air, then with a final admonition to her guest to work diligently in her absence, she hurried out of the house. As she crossed her porch she saw her husband in an old armchair asleep in the sunshine. For some reason, the sight made her more rancorous still toward Nessie, and she thought to herself,