"The Lothrops!" cried Mrs. Wishart. "I can not conceive it. Why, they are very poor."
"That made no hindrance, in their case."
"Poor people, I am afraid they have not been enjoying themselves this year."
"I heard of Mrs. Armadale's death."
"Yes. O, she was old; she could not be expected to live long. But they are all broken up."
"How am I to understand that?"
"Well, you know they have very little to live upon. I suppose it was for that reason Lois went off to a distance from home to teach a district school. You know,—or do you know?—what country schools are, in some places; this was one of the places. Pretty rough; and hard living. And then a railroad was opened in the neighbourhood—the place became sickly—a fever broke out among Lois's scholars and the families they came from; and Lois spent her vacation in nursing. Then got sick herself with the fever, and is only just now getting well."
"I heard something of this before from Mrs. Barclay."
"Then Madge went to take care of Lois, and they were both there. That is weeks and weeks ago,—months, I should think."
"But the sick one is well again?"