Miss Shott paid no attention.

"It's an old saying," said she, "that a bad chimney saves fuel!--I
understand that you've all been to New York shopping?"

"Yes," said Willy, laughing. "It was a kind of shopping, but that's not
exactly what I'd call it!" And perceiving that Miss Shott intended to
remain where she was, she took a seat.

"Well, of course," said Miss Shott, "everybody's got to act according to
their own judgments and consciences! If I was going to buy winter
things, I'd do what I could to help the business of my own town, and if
I did happen to want anything I couldn't get here, I'd surely go to
Harrington, where the people might almost be called neighbors!"

Willy laughed outright. "Oh, Miss Shott," she said, "you couldn't buy
the things we bought, in Harrington! I don't believe they could be found
in Boston!"

"I was speaking about myself," said Miss Nancy. "I could find anything I
wanted in Harrington, and if my wants went ahead of what they had there,
I should say that my wants were going too far and ought to be curbed!
And so you took those poor old Thorpedyke women with you. I expect they
must be nearly fagged out. I don't see how the oldest one ever stood
being dragged from store to store all over New York, as she must have
been! She's a pretty old woman and can't be expected to stand even what
another woman, younger than she is, but old enough, and excited by
having money to spend, can stand! It's a wonder to me that you brought
her back alive!"

"Miss Eleanor came back a great deal better than she was when she left!"
exclaimed Willy, indignantly. "She'll tell you, if you ask her, that
that visit to New York did her a great deal of good!"

"No, she won't!" said Miss Shott, "for she don't speak to me. It's been
two years since I had anything to do with her!"

Willy knew all about the quarrel between the Thorpedyke ladies and
Nancy, and wished to change the subject.

"Don't you want to go and look at the new part of the house?" she said.
"Perhaps you'd like to see the things we've bought in New York, and it's
cold here!"

To this invitation and the subsequent remark Miss Shott paid no
attention. She did not intend to give Willy the pleasure of showing her
over the house, and it was not at all necessary, for she had seen nearly
everything in it.

During the absence of Mrs. Cliff she had made many visits to the house,
and, as she was acquainted with the woman who had been left in charge,
sh