For they were black, nor did she know where they might go to.

And she grew very cold.
At length she heard some noise in the house, and in her present mood any human noise was a sound of deliverance.

It grew; was presently enriched by the admixture of baby-screams, and the sound of the shop-shutters being taken down; and at last footsteps approached her door.

Mrs Bruce entered, and finding her sitting dressed on her bed, exclaimed: "Ow! ye call dress yersel! can ye ?" "Ay, weel that," answered Annie, as cheerily as she could.

"But," she added, "I want some water to wash mysel' wi'." "Come doon to the pump, than," said Mrs Bruce.
Annie followed her to the pump, where she washed in a tub.