"Do you think she cared very much for Claude?"
"What do you think, when she is ready to work for the people that caused his death?"
Winifred shuddered and Isabel was silent. Neither of them could think or talk of Claude's death without a feeling of repulsion toward everything connected with the work in Freetown.
That same evening Howard Douglass was going over the details of his plan with his wife.
"Now that Mrs. Carlton has offered to help, we can begin at once on the social-settlement hall."
"It is like a story. Who would have thought that Mrs. Carlton would ever offer to do such a thing?"
Mr. Douglass thoughtfully spread some papers out over the table, and then wrote something before he spoke.
"Yes, it is simply a miracle of changes in her case and that of Miss Inez. Mrs. Carlton has offered to give two thousand dollars toward the building. I have suggested that she use her influence to get other society people in Merton to have a share in the work. In fact, the redemption of Freetown ought to be a part of the whole city's life. The work to be done is so large that no one church or person or organization can do it. If we can only get the help of all the people who have means, we can do wonders in Freetown."
There was silence again as the minister wrote. Presently he looked up and said, "Do you want to hear the plan as I have it on paper?"
Before his wife could answer, the bell rung. The minister started to say something about so many interruptions just when he was busiest. The minister was a man, and therefore not quite perfect yet. His wife gave him a look that seemed to remind him of something, and a smile broke out over his face.