d is like them! If they didn't they'd help."

"Well what is the first thing that would help to make you comfortable?"
said Mr. Linden.

Sally looked at him, up and down.

"I'd like to see a speck o' somebody's face now and then. I mope and
mope, till I wish I'd die to get rid of it! You see, sir, I aint as I
used to was; and my family aint numerous now. There's no one lives in
this house over my head but me and a girl what stays by me to do
chores. Aint that a life for a spider?"

Faith had been stealthily unfolding the shawl and now put it round
Sally's shoulders. "Will _that_ help to make you comfortable?" she said
gently.

"Laws!" said Sally--"aint that smart! That's good as far as it goes.
Where did that come from?"

"Mother sent it to you, for New Year."

"It's real becoming of her!" said Sally in a mollified tone, feeling of
the shawl. "Well I won't say this New Years haint brought me something."

"It brings you too much cold air at present," Mr. Linden said. "Do you
know that window lets in about as much cold as it keeps out?"

"Well I reckon I do," said Sally. "I've nothin' to do all day but sit
here and realize onto it. There aint no such a thing as buildin' a fire
in the chimney that'll keep out the cold from that winter."

"I should think not!--the way is to attack the window itself," he said,
looking at it as if he were studying the attack.

"We've brought you something else here, Sally, to help keep out the
cold," said Faith. "May I put the things in your closet--so as to carry
home my basket?"

"Yes, if you like. What have you got there, Faith?" said Miss Lowndes
looking into the closet after her.

"There's a piece of beef, Sally, of mother's own curing--all ready
cooked--so you'll have nothing to do but cook your potatoes--and mother
thought you'd like a few of our potatoes, they're good this year. Then
here is a little paper of tea she sent you, and I've brought you one of
my own pumpkin pies--so you must say it is good, Sally."

"Well I'm beat!" said Sally. "Haint you got something else?"

She was like to be beat on all hands; for Mr. Linden who had been
examining the window while Faith emptied her basket, now went out and
presently brought back hammer and nails and strips of lath, that made
Faith wonder whether he had brought a tool-chest along. But the noise
of his hammer was much more cheerful than the rattling of the window,
and when it had done its work outside as well as in, the