She was a decent and self-respecting old person, but in her mind there was no faintest glimmer of resentment of questions concerning rent and food and the needs of her simple, hard-driven existence.

She had answered such questions on many occasions, when they had not been asked in the manner in which her ladyship's sister asked them.

Mrs.Brent had scolded her and "poked about" her cottage, going into her tiny "wash 'us," and up into her infinitesimal bedroom under the slanting roof, to see that they were kept clean.

Miss Vanderpoel showed no disposition to "poke." She sat and listened, and made an inquiry here and there, in a nice voice and with a smile in her eyes.

There was some pleasure in relating the whole history of your eighty-three years to a young lady who listened as if she wanted to hear it.