A few minutes' further observation of them showed me that neither of them was quite right.
Instead of entering into conversation with me they continued to cast restless glances at the walls, ceilings, and even at the floor of the room in which we sat, and when, in the hope of attracting their attention to myself, I addressed them on some topic which I thought would be interesting to them, they not only failed to listen, but turned upon each other with slowly wagging heads, which not only revealed their condition but awakened me to its probable cause.

They were between walls rendered dear by old associations.

Till their first agitation was over I could not hope for their attention.
"But their agitation gave no signs of diminishing and I soon saw that their visit was far from being a ceremonial one; that it was one of definite purpose.

Preparing myself for I knew not what, I regarded them with such open interest that before I knew it, and quite before I was ready for any such exhibition, they were both on their knees before me, holding up their meager arms with beseeching and babbling words which I did not understand till later.
"I was shocked, as you may believe, and quickly raised them, at which Miss Thankful told me their story, which I will now tell you.
"There were four of them originally, three sisters and one brother.
The brother early went West and disappeared out of their lives, and the third sister married.

This was years and years ago, when they were all young.