"She does not want too much."
"I will arrange that with her. Stay,—we have not been introduced to each other. You may call me Mr. Digby; what may I call you?"
"Rotha Carpenter."
"Good morning, Rotha," said the gentleman, offering his hand. Rotha shyly took it, and he went away.
Half an hour afterwards, Mrs. Carpenter came home. She came slowly up the short flight of stairs, and sat down by her fireside as if she was tired. She was pale, and she coughed now and then.
"Mother," began Rotha, full of the new event, "somebody has been here since you have been away."
"A messenger from Mr. Farquharson? I shall have the things done to- morrow, I hope."
"No messenger at all, and no tailor, nor any such horrid person. Mother, what is a 'gentleman'?"
"What makes you ask?"
"Because Mrs. Marble said this man was a gentleman. He's a missionary. Do you know what a 'city missionary' means, mother?"