But as she slowly mounted the first flight of steps she suddenly came face to face with Old Grannis, who was coming down.

It was between eight and nine, and he was on his way to his little dog hospital, no doubt.

Instantly Miss Baker was seized with trepidation, her curious little false curls shook, a faint--a very faint--flush came into her withered cheeks, and her heart beat so violently under the worsted shawl that she felt obliged to shift the market-basket to her other arm and put out her free hand to steady herself against the rail.
On his part, Old Grannis was instantly overwhelmed with confusion.

His awkwardness seemed to paralyze his limbs, his lips twitched and turned dry, his hand went tremblingly to his chin.

But what added to Miss Baker's miserable embarrassment on this occasion was the fact that the old Englishman should meet her thus, carrying a sordid market-basket full of sordid fish and cabbage.