nson
warmly; then, turning to Ruth, she said, in a loud whisper,

"Who's yon?"

Mr Benson was silent, and walked a step onwards. Miss Benson said
boldly out,

"The lady I named in my note, Sally--Mrs Denbigh, a distant
relation."

"Aye, but you said hoo was a widow. Is this chit a widow?"

"Yes, this is Mrs Denbigh," answered Miss Benson.

"If I'd been her mother, I'd ha' given her a lollypop instead of a
husband. Hoo looks fitter for it."

"Hush! Sally, Sally! Look, there's your master trying to move that
heavy box." Miss Benson calculated well when she called Sally's
attention to her master; for it was well believed by every one, and
by Sally herself, that his deformity was owing to a fall he had had
when he was scarcely more than a baby, and entrusted to her care--a
little nurse-girl, as she then was, not many years older than
himself. For years the poor girl had cried herself to sleep on her
pallet-bed, moaning over the blight her carelessness had brought upon
her darling; nor was this self-reproach diminished by the forgiveness
of the gentle mother, from whom Thurstan Benson derived so much of
his character. The way in which comfort stole into Sally's heart was
in the gradually-formed resolution that she would never leave him nor
forsake him, but serve him faithfully all her life long; and she had
kept to her word. She loved Miss Benson, but she almost worshipped
the brother. The reverence for him was in her heart, however, and
did not always show itself in her manners. But if she scolded him
herself, she allowed no one else that privilege. If Miss Benson
differed from her brother, and ventured to think his sayings or
doings might have been improved, Sally came down upon her like a
thunder-clap.

"My goodness gracious, Master Thurstan, when will you learn to leave
off meddling with other folks' business! Here, Ben! help me up with
these trunks."

The little narrow passage was cleared, and Miss Benson took Ruth
into the sitting-room. There were only two sitting-rooms on the
ground-floor, one behind the other. Out of the back room the kitchen
opened, and for this reason the back parlour was used as the family
sitting-room; or else, being, with its garden aspect, so much
the pleasanter of the two, both Sally and Miss Benson would have
appropriated it for Mr Benson's study. As it was, the front room,
which looked to the street, was his room; and many a person coming
for help--help of which giving money wa