Now, since her terrible trouble had come upon her, this garb had often slipped aside, and revealed, with the indecency of affliction, the struggling naked spirit of the woman to those from whom she had so carefully hidden it.
Once Ann would not have believed that she would have so borne herself towards Squire Merritt.

The Squire laid the partridges on the table.
"I am going to leave these for your supper, Mrs.Edwards," he said, easily; but he quaked a little, for this woman seemed to repel gifts like blows.
"Thank ye," said Ann, dryly, "but I guess you'd better take 'em home to your wife.

I've got a good deal cooked up." Elmira made a little expressive sound; she could not help it.

She gave one horrified, wondering look at her mother.

Not a morsel of cooked food was there on the bare pantry shelves.