They were all grouped round her as she stood in the doorway to speak to us, and they too were poorly dressed and poorly shod.

When we told our tale she appeared ready to burst into tears.

Oh, how unfortunate it was that she could not take us in! It would have made her so happy, and the few shillings would have been such a blessing! But what could she do now--the landlord's agent had put in a distress and carried off and sold all her best things.

Every stick out of her nice spare room had been taken from them! Oh, it was cruel! As we wished to hear more she told us the whole story.

They had got behindhand with the rent, but that had often been the case, only this time it happened that the agent wanted a cottage for a person he wished to befriend, and so gave them notice to quit.