"Is Miss Woodburn stopping here?" I asked.
"No, she isn't," returned the young woman with a glint of the eye which seemed to say, she would perish sooner than call anyone "Miss," and I shouldn't wonder if she would have felled me to the earth rather than give me a "ladyship" had it been required of her.
"Are you sure?" I persisted, my heart preparing for a plunge bootward.
"I guess so," said the girl with a superior but not ill-natured smile. "She was staying with us, but she went day before yesterday. I don't think she'll be back, because she's gone to take care of a friend who's real sick, way back in Ohio somewhere."
"Way back in Ohio somewhere!" The words were like a knell for all my hopes. I didn't know what was to become of me now.
"I am sorry," I said. "Do you know if a telegram came for Miss Woodburn yesterday?"
"Yesindeed," replied the young woman, all in one word, but her face brightened. Suddenly she was looking at me like a long-lost friend. "I guess you're expected. Mrs. Hale, that's the lady of the house here, sent the telegram on, and Miss Woodburn telegraphed back about you. Mrs. Hale went to meet your train, but maybe she didn't recognise you or else she got caught at the bridge. Anyhow she hasn't come back yet. I guess you'd better come in. Your room is all ready for you."
"My room?" I stammered.
"Why--yes, of course. Mrs. Hale expects you to stay with us till you're good and ready to go somewhere else. You'll like her. She's a nice lady, if I do say it myself."
"She's too kind," I exclaimed. "I never heard of such kindness to a stranger."