Neither answered promptly.
"I saw one of them when I was at Asphodel," said Winthrop; "and she was a pretty wellgrown girl; she must have been thirteen or fourteen."
"And that was a year and a half ago! Is her sister younger or older?"
"It isn't her sister," said Rufus; "it's her cousin, I believe; Mr. Haye is her guardian. She's older."
"How much?"
"A year or two — I don't know exactly."
Mrs. Landholm rose and took up her pan of potatoes with an air that seemed to say Miss Haye and her cousin were both in it, and carried it out into the kitchen.
Some little time had passed, and Winthrop went there to look for her. She had put her pan down on the hearth, and herself by it, and there she was sitting with her arms round her knees.
Winthrop softly came and placed himself beside her.
"Mother —"