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 invitation to stop and dry herself. It took all of her determination to urge poor old Dot on through the driving rain.

At last she reached the church. This was a plain stone structure built lengthwise to the road, with its steeple upon the eastern end. Sally pulled Dot up short before it and pondered desperately. Though there was no sign of let-up to the storm as yet, still it might clear in a short space of time, when it would be much easier to continue her quest. Meanwhile, any shelter would be welcome, especially one where she would not be eyed askance, asked to give an explanation of her presence, alone and unprotected, with perhaps an unceremonious return to Master Todd in the end. Yes, she thought, the church was just the place; though she felt wicked and sacrilegious in using it as a mere shelter. She could almost feel Parson Chapman's and Deacon Riggs's reproving eyes upon her as she stalked through the rain-drenched grass to the front door of the edifice. But the door was locked.

She turned away in keen disappointment. Darkness had now completely blotted out every visible thing; she could not even see old Dot at the edge of the road, standing with patient bowed head in the wet. There were the windows to try, two of them in front on each side of the door and some in the eastern end beneath the steeple, though she was doubtful about their having been left unlocked.