his face was clean shaven.
Mrs. Otway was below medium height, plump and keen-eyed. She wore an
old-fashioned gown and a plain bonnet. Winter or summer she never
went out without a small cape over her shoulders. Upon this occasion
it was of black silk trimmed with a fold of the same. She looked
approvingly at Dorothy's neat frock, but a little disapprovingly
at the arrangement of her hair.

"I am sorry not to have been here to welcome you," she said, "but
there are certain matters of business which cannot be set aside for
uncertainties. I hope Hepzibah or Marian showed you to your room."

"Marian did, and has been a very kind hostess," returned Miss
Dorothy. "I am very glad you did not give up an important matter
for anything so indefinite as my arrival. You must never let my
presence allow of any change in your arrangements, Mrs. Otway. I
am exceedingly grateful to you for taking me in, and I should be
very uncomfortable if I were to interfere with your usual routine."

Mrs. Otway nodded approval. "We shall consider you one of the
family, my dear Miss Robbins," she told her. "Marian, take my things
up-stairs." She gave her bonnet and cape to her granddaughter and
led the way to the semi-darkened parlor where she established
herself in a haircloth rocking-chair while Miss Dorothy seated
herself upon the sofa.

Marian laid the bonnet and cape carefully upon her grandmother's
smooth bed and went down to tell Hepzibah that it was the teacher,
who had arrived. She had not wanted to leave Miss Dorothy, in order
to give the old servant this piece of information, but now that her
chance had come she went straight to the kitchen.

Hepzibah was stalking about preparing supper. She looked up sharply
as Marian entered. "Well," she said, "what's wanting?"

"It's Miss Robbins, the teacher, Heppy," Marian told her. "You saw
us go by down the garden, didn't you?"

"Why didn't she say so?" returned Heppy in an aggrieved voice.
"How's I to know she wasn't a book-agent or a body selling home-made
laces and embroidered shirt waists. She was carrying a bag and it
might have been full of wares for all I knew."

"But she doesn't look like a peddler."

"Looks belie folks sometimes. Some of 'em is dressed as good as the
best, in hats with feathers and kid gloves. She might have been that
or anything, for all I could tell. I'll do just the same next time.
She'd oughter have told her business right out, instead of hemming
and hawing