“Won’t you let me help you?” ventured Sue, as she reached the landing. “New gloves are so difficult to button.”
“Oh, please—I pray you—don’t bother,” returned Miss Ann, flushing with embarrassment, but Sue insisted, briskly laid the thin wrist in the palm of her hand, quickly extracted a hairpin from where it had nestled in her fair hair, and so deftly buttoned the new gray glove, that before Miss Ann could further protest the button was snug and safe in its buttonhole.
“Oh, thank you! Thank you so much,” stammered the little spinster. Then both glanced into each other’s eyes, and both smiled. “I’m so sorry to have troubled you,” added Miss Ann sweetly.
There was a friendly gleam in her aged gray eyes now that won Sue’s heart before the little woman before her, standing with her back to her sitting-room door, had uttered another word.
Sue laid her wet umbrella against the banisters next to Miss Ann’s dry one, and brushed the wet from her skirt.
“You are Miss Moulton, aren’t you?” she asked with a cheery smile.
“Yes, my child. How did you know? Except for Mr. Crane we know no one here at present. My sister and I live here; we have lived here nearly as long as Mr. Crane.”
“I know,” nodded Sue. “Moses told me.” There was something so gentle, frank, and sincere, especially in the word “child,” that Sue already felt they were friends. The frail, gloved hand lingered in Sue’s. “You don’t know how glad I am to meet you, Miss Moulton,” said she, pressing it firmly.
“And I to meet you, my dear. It’s such a joy to have a young girl come into this dreadful gloomy place,” sighed Miss Ann.
“It is gloomy to-day, isn’t it?” Sue declared. “If you don’t really have to go out I wouldn’t, Miss Moulton. It’s simply dreadful out. The streets are simply swimming in slush, and it’s just that kind of a drizzling rain that soaks you through and through.” Sue hesitated. “Do you really have to go out?” she asked seriously. “Please tell me, is there anything I can do? Do let me go if there is. Must you go?—and without your rubbers, too! I feel like scolding you,” she laughed.