"What do I ken about her, laddie?" queried the old gentleman in his turn. "Wad ye insinuate that I associate wi' sic trash as that?"
"Oh she's quite a harmless creature, I've no doubt," laughed Harold.
"O Uncle Harold, please let her in," pleaded Grace, with tears in her sweet blue eyes.
"Why, my dear little Gracie, there's nobody there," he answered.
"But how can we be sure if we don't look, Uncle Harold? Her voice did sound so very real."
"What is the matter, Gracie dear?" asked a sweet voice, as a beautiful lady came swiftly from the adjoining parlor and laid her soft white hand on the little girl's head.
"O Grandma Elsie, we heard a woman begging to come in out of the cold, and—oh there don't you hear her?"
"Oh let me in, dear good ladies and gentlemen! I'm freezing, freezing and starving to death!" wailed the voice again.
By this time all the occupants of the other parlor were crowding into this.
"Captain," said Grandma Elsie, "will you please step to the window and open it?"