let cloth cloak, which she
had had ever since she was married; and, always spotlessly clean, she set
forth on her unauthorised embassy. She knew the Palmers lived in Crown
Street, though where she had heard it she could not tell; and modestly
asking her way, she arrived in the street about a quarter to four
o'clock. She stopped to enquire the exact number, and the woman whom she
addressed told her that Susan Palmer's school would not be loosed till
four, and asked her to step in and wait until then at her house.

"For," said she, smiling, "them that wants Susan Palmer wants a kind
friend of ours; so we, in a manner, call cousins. Sit down, missus, sit
down. I'll wipe the chair, so that it shanna dirty your cloak. My
mother used to wear them bright cloaks, and they're right gradely things
again a green field."

"Han ye known Susan Palmer long?" asked Mrs. Leigh, pleased with the
admiration of her cloak.

"Ever since they comed to live in our street. Our Sally goes to her
school."

"Whatten sort of a lass is she, for I ha' never seen her?"

"Well, as for looks, I cannot say. It's so long since I first knowed
her, that I've clean forgotten what I thought of her then. My master
says he never saw such a smile for gladdening the heart. But maybe it's
not looks you're asking about. The best thing I can say of her looks is,
that she's just one a stranger would stop in the street to ask help from
if he needed it. All the little childer creeps as close as they can to
her; she'll have as many as three or four hanging to her apron all at
once."

"Is she cocket at all?"

"Cocket, bless you! you never saw a creature less set up in all your
life. Her father's cocket enough. No! she's not cocket any way. You've
not heard much of Susan Palmer, I reckon, if you think she's cocket.
She's just one to come quietly in, and do the very thing most wanted;
little things, maybe, that any one could do, but that few would think on,
for another. She'll bring her thimble wi' her, and mend up after the
childer o' nights; and she writes all Betty Harker's letters to her
grandchild out at service; and she's in nobody's way, and that's a great
matter, I take it. Here's the childer running past! School is loosed.
You'll find her now, missus, ready to hear and to help. But we none on
us frab her by going near her in school-time."

Poor Mrs. Leigh's heart began to beat, and she could almost have turned
round and gone home again.