"No, perhaps not. We will see," said Mrs. Tracy, with a sigh, conscious that she cared little about going anywhere if Juliet did not accompany her.
At this moment, Salome entered the room. It was never Salome's way to sit idle in the twilight, and she at once kindled a lamp which stood on a side-table where the air from the open window would not blow on it.
"Oh, Salome," exclaimed Juliet fretfully, as she turned her head aside from the light, "why need you have done that? It was so much nicer without that glare."
Salome without a word placed a shade over the offending lamp, and seating herself near it, opened her work-bag. Then she said quietly—
"Mr. Mainprice is to preach at our church on Sunday."
The racket Juliet was still holding suddenly fell on the floor with a bang. Mrs. Tracy uttered a nervous cry; but, recovering herself, she said—
"Oh, I am glad to hear that! Does he only take one Sunday?"
"I suppose so," replied Salome; "I believe Mr. Hayes will be back for the Sunday after. It is more than a fortnight since they started for Normandy, and they only meant to be away three weeks."
No one spoke again for some moments. Juliet was lying back in her chair dreamily watching a large moth which had fluttered in at the window and was circling round and round the lamp in ever-narrowing gyrations. Suddenly she started up with a cry—
"Oh, save it, Salome, save it! It is such a beauty! Don't let it burn itself!"