ocked
violently.

The night air was keen and soon drove Holcroft into the house. As he
passed the kitchen window, he saw that Mrs. Mumpson was in his wife's
rocking chair and that Jane was clearing up the table.

He kindled a fire on the parlor hearth, hoping, but scarcely expecting,
that he would be left alone.

Nor was he very long, for the widow soon opened the door and entered,
carrying the chair. "Oh, you are here," she said sweetly. "I heard the
fire crackling, and I do so love open wood fires. They're company in
themselves, and they make those who bask in the flickering blaze
inclined to be sociable. To think of how many long, lonely evenings
you have sat here when you had persons in your employ with whom you
could have no affinity whatever! I don't see how you stood it. Under
such circumstances life must cloud up into a dreary burden." It never
occurred to Mrs. Mumpson that her figures of speech were often mixed.
She merely felt that the sentimental phase of conversation must be very
flowery. But during the first evening she had resolved on prudence.
"Mr. Holcroft shall have time," she thought, "for the hope to steal
into his heart that his housekeeper may become something more to him
than housekeeper--that there is a nearer and loftier relation."

Meanwhile she was consumed with curiosity to know something about the
"persons" previously employed and his experiences with them. With a
momentary, and, as she felt, a proper pause before descending to
ordinary topics, she resumed, "My dear Mr. Holcroft, no doubt it will
be a relief to your overfraught mind to pour into a symperthetic ear
the story of your troubles with those--er--those peculiar females
that--er--that--"

"Mrs. Mumpson, it would be a much greater relief to my mind to forget
all about 'em," he replied briefly.

"INDEED!" exclaimed the widow. "Was they as bad as that? Who'd 'a'
thought it! Well, well, well; what people there is in the world! And
you couldn't abide 'em, then?"

"No, I couldn't."

"Well now; what hussies they must have been! And to think you were
here all alone, with no better company! It makes my heart bleed. They
DO say that Bridget Malony is equal to anything, and I've no doubt but
that she took things and did things."

"Well, she's taken herself off, and that's enough." Then he groaned
inwardly, "Good Lord! I could stand her and all her tribe bettern'n
this one."

"Yes, Mr. Holcroft," pursued Mrs. Mumpso