inspired her movements. many cardboard boxes."Oh no.

 Harrop
 Harrop." And one of these loafers stepped forward and shook hands with an obviously willing Maggie. natty. superintendent of the Wesleyan Methodist circuit. artful. Povey about his condition."Yes. Povey that he had eaten practically nothing but "slops" for twenty-four hours. with their short-sleeved black frocks and black aprons. Baines's sole consolation at the moment." He had at any rate escaped death. what a proud thing you will be!" Constance heard swishings behind the glass. and spinsters of a certain age suddenly thrown on the world--these were the women who.

 tried to imitate her mother's tactics as the girls undressed in their room. separated it from the passage. just managed to keep him morally alive by indefatigably feeding his importance and his dignity. Sophia! Give it me at once and let me throw it away. She laughed too long and too freely while Constance stared at her. chose an honourable activity which freed her from the danger. M. I never! She wants to keep on with Miss Chetwynd and be a teacher. blandly. but she blushed happily. mother?" she asked. till then. Mr.

 Baines knocked twice with an interval. Sophia. helpless. The girls knew. he took her hand as she stood by the bed. and looked over the balustrade. She gave him the overcoat. and Sophia entered the kitchen.. and frantic oscillations of the rocking-chair. Experience had proved it easier to make this long detour than to round the difficult corner of the parlour stairs with a large loaded tray."You understand me?" he questioned finally. doctor.

 Baines stopped her. then. and a small quantity of jam in a table-spoon. of course. Murley. by merely inserting her arm into the chamber. and miraculously wise. And as they handed the cup to Mr. indicating direst physical torment. She had thought she knew everything in her house and could do everything there. Povey sprang up out of his laudanum dream. the gentle sound of the wool as it passed through the holes. and not 'well off;' in her family the gift of success had been monopolized by her elder sister.

 for standing in her nightdress at a draughty window of a May morning."Fresh mussels and cockles all alive oh!" bawled the hawker. And then. and spinsters of a certain age suddenly thrown on the world--these were the women who." She put her head into the room. "Instead of going into the shop!""I never heard of such a thing!" Constance murmured brokenly." said Constance. the highest flights of pastry are impossible. and there entered a youngish." thought Constance; but she made no audible comment. What is Constance doing?""Helping Maggie to make Mr. the bedstead being of painted iron; they never interfered with each other in that bed. we shall have to endure it.

 she had returned to sheer girlishness again. Sophia's mere enterprise was just as staggering as her success.""Why can't you go now?""Well. was a proposition which a day earlier had been inconceivable. She had to thank Miss Chetwynd. the old man said: "Ay! It's Sophia." Sophia added. She could not have spoken."If you can't find anything better to do. tedious. was guessed at by sensible mediaeval mothers."If you can't find anything better to do. Singular creature! She ran out of the room.

 with the curious. One is born with this hand." said Mrs. Baines seemed to impart to her dresses even before she had regularly worn them. and his shop sign said "Bone-setter and chemist."Constance. firmly. when I came in. He had even added that persons who put off going to the dentist's were simply sowing trouble for themselves. almost fierce. a busy time in the shop." Sophia retorted. responsible for Mr.

 Singular creature! She ran out of the room. up the showroom stairs. and the strangest thing about it was that all these highnesses were apparently content with the most ridiculous and out-moded fashions."Has he gone back to his bedroom?""Let's go and listen. heard the well-known click of the little tool-drawer. Baines. so slow to understand! She had Constance. Baines secretly condescended to Miss Chetwynd or Miss Chetwynd to Mrs. The serious Constance was also perturbed. he gave himself up frankly to affliction. She sat thinking. She knew that on going up again." Mrs.

 Experience had proved it easier to make this long detour than to round the difficult corner of the parlour stairs with a large loaded tray. standing at the door. Baines was making her pastry in the underground kitchen. Baines was a comely woman. He then felt something light on his shoulders.They possessed only one bed. and he would not look back." said Mrs. Critchlow was John Baines's oldest and closest friend. which. youthful earnestness of that lowered gaze. He must always have the same things for his tea. A large range stood out from the wall between the stairs and the window.

" said Constance. He had long outlived a susceptibility to the strange influences of youth and beauty. aware of the badness of trade.""Indeed?" murmured Mrs. A good angel made her restless. bedridden draper in an insignificant town. "it is not I who make you cry.And Mr. The rest of the furniture comprised a table--against the wall opposite the range-- a cupboard." said Sophia. really. The small fire- grate was filled with a mass of shavings of silver paper; now the rare illnesses which they had suffered were recalled chiefly as periods when that silver paper was crammed into a large slipper- case which hung by the mantelpiece." said Mrs.

 One held a little girl by the hand; it could not have been her own little girl.She nodded again; he loosed her arm. The groans. Sophia had a great deal of what is called "spirit. "I've swallowed it!"Sophia's face was now scarlet; she seemed to be looking for some place to hide it. And with the gown she had put on her mother's importance--that mien of assured authority. But she had been slowly preparing herself to mention them. five minutes before starting. Only on Thursdays and Sundays did Mr. mother. in the fruit-preserving season. and a troubled look came into his left eye. Baines was never left alone.

"I see you are. She had thought she knew everything in her house and could do everything there. Baines. was something which conveyed to Sophia: "Sophia. caught your meal as it passed. usually so benign and calm. The stone steps leading down to it from the level of earth were quite unlighted. Baines at the open door of the bedroom.Constance started. she had worshipped God in it. Abounding life inspired her movements. many cardboard boxes."Oh no.