"Oh!" cried the old lady, with a face of real horror "you don't tell me! Fell through the trap-door! and he ain't a light weight neither; oh, that is a lamentable event! And how is the poor old mother, dear?"
"She is very much troubled, Ma'am," said Ellen, crying at the remembrance; "and he has been lying ever since early this morning without anybody to set it; I have been going round and round for a doctor this ever so long."
"Why, warn't there nobody to come but you, you poor lamb?" said Miss Janet.
"No, Ma'am; nobody quick enough; and I had the Brownie there, and so I came."
"Well, cheer up, dear! the doctor will be here now, and we'll send him right off; he won't be long about his dinner, I'll engage. Come and set in this big cheer do! it'll rest you; I see you're a'most tired out, and it ain't a wonder. There don't that feel better? now I'll give you a little sup of dinner, for you won't want to swallow it at the rate Leander will his'n. Dear! dear! to think of poor Mr. Van Brunt! He's a likely man, too; I'm very sorry for him and his poor mother. A kind body she is, as ever the sun shined upon."
"And so is he," said Ellen.
"Well, so I dare say," said Miss Janet; "but I don't know so much about him; hows'ever, he's got everybody's good word as far as I know; he's a likely man."
The little room in which Miss Janet had brought Ellen was very plainly furnished indeed, but as neat as hands could make it. The carpet was as crumbless and lintless as if meals were never taken there, nor work seen; and yet a little table ready set for dinner forbade the one conclusion, and a huge basket of naperies in one corner showed that Miss Janet's industry did not spend itself in housework alone. Before the fire stood a pretty good-sized kettle, and a very appetizing smell came from it to Ellen's nose. In spite of sorrow and anxiety, her ride had made her hungry. It was not without pleasure that she saw her kind hostess arm herself with a deep plate and a tin dipper, and carefully taking off the pot cover, so that no drops might fall on the hearth, proceed to ladle out a goodly supply of what Ellen knew was that excellent country dish called pot-pie. Excellent it is when well made, and that was Miss Janet's. The pieces of crust were white and light like new bread; the very tit-bits of the meat she culled out for Ellen; and the soup-gravy, poured over all, would have met even Miss Fortune's wishes, from its just degree of richness and exact seasoning. Smoking hot, it was placed before Ellen, on a little stand by her easy-chair, with some nice bread and butter; and presently Miss Janet poured her out a cup of tea; "for," she said, "Leander never could take his dinner without it." Ellen's appetite needed no silver fork. Tea and pot-pie were never better liked; yet Miss Janet's enjoyment was perhaps greater still. She sat talking and looking at her little visitor with secret but immense satisfaction.
"Have you heard what fine doings we're a going to have here by-and-by?" said she. "The doctor's tired of me; he's going to get a new housekeeper; he's going to get married some of these days."
"Is he?" said Ellen. "Not to Jenny?"