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322 courageous in meeting emergencies, and she was quick and courageous to-day. It was at the end of this five minutes that Mrs. Farrar entered the library. One who had known her six months before would hardly have recognized her now. Worn with her household tasks, harassed by the troubles of the time, sick at heart to the verge of prostration, she looked it all. Her face was gray, her cheeks were sunken, her lips were colorless, deep shadows rested under her eyes inflamed by much weeping.

"Mr. Farrar told me," she said, "that you wished to see me."

"Only to say to you," replied Ruth, remembering her instructions, "that better times are coming; that the clouds will soon roll by."

"You only say that to try to comfort me," was the response. "You do not really believe it in your heart."

"But things cannot go on this way forever, Mrs. Farrar. Even if the climax has not yet been reached it must come soon. April is almost here, and warmer weather. Under sunny skies the men will find more work to do; there will be less suffering in their families."

"I am not thinking about the men and their families, Miss Tracy. I am thinking about myself, and my children, and Mr. Farrar."

"I know. It has been dreadful. But you have been very patient. And Mr. Farrar has been a hero. And things are going to be better."

"No, I haven't been patient. I haven't reconciled myself to the situation at all. I have been placed in a most cruel position. I suppose Mr. Farrar is right. I know he must be right, because he is a good man. But if only it could have been done without making me suffer so!"

She put her handkerchief to her eyes to dry the ready tears. Tears had come so freely and so frequently in these last days.