As outward physical details of suffering always appeal more largely to common sympathy than inward grief, the manner of her loss had set a temporary crown upon her head, to which the elders had knelt, refusing to admonish her because she took no part in their public services, or because, except for attention to the sick, she did not give much sign of social comradeship.
Now when she asked for the paper, Darling felt that the ice was beginning to break, and gave what seemed to him genial encouragement.
"First time that you've asked for anything but daily rations, Sister Halsey; glad to see you plucking up heart.

The living God giveth us all things richly to enjoy." He repeated the last words in an unctuous drawl while he was looking for the paper, "richly to--enjoy.

Well now, I was thinking we had some with a black border on it, but you're more than welcome to such as there is." The stores indeed were scanty enough; food, cloth, household utensils, a little stationery, a large pile of devotional books, were arranged in meagre order in the shed used as a warehouse.

Darling had as yet scarcely respectable clothes to wear, but Susannah was astonished only at the energy that had in a few days collected so much, at the order and patient kindliness which ruled in this poverty-stricken administration.
Already those who could work paid into the common store, and those who had lost all had but to state their needs to have them supplied as well as might be.
"One, two, three--will three sheets be enough, Sister Halsey?
You've been hearing, I suppose, that Mr.Smith is going to be moved to the town of Boome, and that he is going to be allowed to get his letters now?
He'd be real cheered to hear from you, although"-- he added this with decent haste--"it will be a great grief to him to hear of your loss!" "Is he well ?" she asked.
"The State authorities are in a fine to-do about him, I suppose you know, sister, for they can't find a single charge to bring him to trial on.

You bet the trial would have been on long ago if they'd had a single leg to stand on.