But I've no right to ask you any questions--you see I'm only an old, poor man, and I'm afraid I shall never be able to do much in the way of paying you back for all you've done for me.

I used to be clever at office work--reading and writing and casting up accounts, but my sight is failing and my hands tremble,--so I'm no good in that line.

But whatever I _can_ do for you, as soon as I'm able, I will!--you may depend upon that!" She leaned towards him, smiling.
"I'll teach you basket-making,"-- she said--"Shall I ?" His eyes lit up with a humorous sparkle.
"If I could learn it, should I be useful to you ?" he asked.
"Why, of course you would! Ever so useful! Useful to me and useful to yourself at the same time!" And she clapped her hands with pleasure at having thought of something easy upon which he could try his energies; "Basket-making pays well here,--the farmers want baskets for their fruit, and the fishermen want baskets for their fish,--and its really quite easy work.

As soon as you're a bit stronger, you shall begin--and you'll be able to earn quite a nice little penny!" He looked stedfastly into her radiant face.
"I'd like to earn enough to pay you back all the expense you've been put to with me,"-- he said, and his voice trembled--"But your patience and goodness--that--I can never hope to pay for--that's heavenly!--that's beyond all money's worth----" He broke off and put his hand over his eyes.

Mary feigned not to notice his profound emotion, and, taking up a paper parcel on the table, opened it, and unrolled a long piece of wonderful old lace, yellow with age, and fine as a cobweb.
"Do you mind my going on with my work ?" she asked, cheerily--"I'm mending this for a Queen!" And as he took away his hand from his eyes, which were suspiciously moist, and looked at her wonderingly, she nodded at him in the most emphatic way.