aning.

"What is it?" Janet asked.

The old woman moaned and groaned.

"Are you ill?" Janet asked.

The old woman groaned and moaned.

"Kinky," said Janet, "come and see if we can help her."

Kink murmured to himself and came to her.

"What's up, missis?" he asked.

"It's my poor heart," said the old woman with an Irish brogue. "I'm
very queer. It's near death I am. For the love of Heaven give me a ride
in the beautiful caravan."

"Where do you want to go?" Kink growled at her.

"To Alverminster," she said. "To see my daughter. She lives there.
She's been married these five years to a carpenter, and she's just had
another baby, bless it's wee face! But me poor heart's that bad I can't
go another step."

Kink drew Janet aside. "She's an old humbug," he said, "and she smells
of gin. Better let her be."

"Oh, Kinky," said Janet, "how can we! The poor old thing, and her
daughter waiting to see her!"

"Daughter!" Kink snorted. "She's got no daughter. She's trying it on."

"How horrid you are!" Janet said. "I mean to give her a lift, anyway."

"It's against my advice," said Kink. "Anyway, promise me you won't give
her any money."

"Very well," said Janet, and she invited the old woman to sit on a
chair at the back of the caravan.

"The saints protect you for your kindness!" said the old woman, getting
to her feet and making her way up the steps with more ease than Janet
had dared to expect. "The saints protect you all--all except that
suspicious ould gossoon wid the whip," she added, glowering at Kink,
who was by no means backward in glowering at her in reply.

"If you had such a thing as a drop of spirits," said the old woman to
Janet, who had taken a seat beside her, "I should be all right. The
doctor says that there's nothing like a little stimulant for such
flutterings and spasms as worry me."

"I'm afraid we haven't," said Janet; "but I could make you a cup of
tea."

"There's a darlin'," said the old woman. "It's not so helpful as
spirits, but there's comfort in it too."

Her sharp little eyes followed Janet as she moved about and brought
together all the tea requisites.

"You're a handy young lady," she said, "and may Heaven send you a fine
husband when the time comes! Ah, it's myself as a girl you remind me
of, with your quick, pretty ways."

"Where did you live when you were a girl?" Janet asked.

"In a little village called Kilbeggy," said the old woman. "My father
was a farmer there