"Mrs. Macdonald played nervously with the string of her apron. I could see I had appealed to her motherly heart by representing you as a motherless orphan.
"'I suppose you haven't a second bedroom,' I suggested, following up my advantage.
"'It's a slip of a thing; not fit for a lady, sir.'
"'After all, ladies are much the same as other women; and my sister might have the bigger bedroom and I the smaller.'
"'There's my John,' doubtfully.
"'Doesn't he like ladies?'
"'Not all of them, sir,' with a sudden burst of confidence. 'There's Mrs. Webster; she called here one day to know if I'd take in some of the washing—and he'd just come in from work,—and she marched into the kitchen and talked very loud. Though he's deaf he don't like no notice taken of it; and he told her it 'ud be time enough for me to work when he was laid by, and then he'd be sorry if I had to do it.'
"'But, of course, if Macdonald does not like us we will leave at once,' I said, assuming that Mrs. Macdonald had agreed to have you. So you're to come, Sally; come as quickly as you can. Don't bring much luggage, for there is nowhere to put it; and pray remember to talk gently to our host. I cannot see why we should not double the size of this cottage—put in a bath-room, and get Mrs. Macdonald to do for us; but this will entirely depend upon your manners, you see. I was preparing to go out, when I saw a child's invalid carriage barring the entrance to the gate, and a child's clear voice was giving very impressive orders about the contents of a certain basket which was to be carried up to the door.
"'You won't spill them, Nurse. You'll be sure not to spill them; they're so very ripe they'd burst if you did.'
"'No, darling; I'll carry them as carefully as new-laid eggs.'