oman, but she must have an iron streak in
her somewhere, for she was left without enough money to pay the funeral
expenses, and she educated the boy and accumulated money enough to pay
for this place they have.

"She used to run a laundry, and made money; but when Cyril got a place
in the bank she sold out the laundry and went into chickens and
vegetables; she told somebody that it wasn't so profitable as the
laundry, but it was more genteel, and Cyril being now in a position of
trust at the bank, she must consider _him_. Cyril swept out the bank.
People laughed about it, but, do you know, I rather liked Mrs. Winslow
for it. She isn't in the least an assertive woman. How long have we been
up here, Maggie? Isn't it four years? And they have been our next-door
neighbors, and she has never been inside the house. Nor he either, for
that matter, except once when it took fire, you know, and he came in
with that funny little chemical engine tucked under his arm, and took
off his hat in the same prim, polite way that he takes it off when he
talks to Sibyl, and said, 'If you'll excuse me offering advice, Miss
Hopkins, it is not necessary to move anything; it mars furniture very
much to move it at a fire. I think, if you will allow me, I can
extinguish this.' And he did, too, didn't he, as neatly and as coolly as
if it were only adding up a column of figures. And offered me the engine
as a souvenir."

"Lorania, you never told me that!"

"It seemed like making fun of him, when he had been so kind. I declined
as civilly as I could. I hope I didn't hurt his feelings. I meant to pay
a visit to his mother and ask them to dinner, but you know I went to
England that week, and somehow when I came back it was difficult. It
seems a little odd we never have seen more of the Winslows, but I fancy
they don't want either to intrude or to be intruded on. But he is
certainly very obliging about the garden. Think of all the slips and
flowers he has given us, and the advice--"

"All passed over the fence. It is funny our neighborly good offices
which we render at arm's-length. How long have you known him?"

"Oh, a long time. He is cashier of my bank, you know. First he was
teller, then assistant cashier, and now for five years he has been
cashier. The president wants to resign and let him be president, but he
hardly has enough stock for that. But Oliver says" (Oliver was Miss
Hopkins's brother) "that there isn't a shrewder or straighter banke