He asked for the ladies, and the maid showed him into the parlor, where he found Mrs.
Leighton and Miss Woodburn.
The widow met him with a welcome neatly marked by resentment; she meant him to feel that his not coming sooner had been noticed.

Miss Woodburn bubbled and gurgled on, and did what she could to mitigate his punishment, but she did not feel authorized to stay it, till Mrs.
Leighton, by studied avoidance of her daughter's name, obliged Beaton to ask for her.

Then Miss Woodburn caught up her work, and said, "Ah'll go and tell her, Mrs.Leighton." At the top of the stairs she found Alma, and Alma tried to make it seem as if she had not been standing there.
"Mah goodness, chald! there's the handsomest young man asking for you down there you evah saw.

Alh told you' mothah Ah would come up fo' you." "What--who is it ?" "Don't you know?
But bo' could you?
He's got the most beautiful eyes, and he wea's his hai' in a bang, and he talks English like it was something else, and his name's Mr.Beaton." "Did he-ask for me ?" said Alma, with a dreamy tone.

She put her hand on the stairs rail, and a little shiver ran over her.
"Didn't I tell you?
Of coase he did! And you ought to go raght down if you want to save the poo' fellah's lahfe; you' mothah's just freezin' him to death." V.
"She is ?" cried Alma.