h of "Granny" at
last. The girl ran to open the door.

Max had sprung up from his chair, full of curiosity to see the old lady
of whom Carrie seemed to be somewhat in awe.

He was rather disappointed. There was nothing at all formidable or
dignified about Mrs. Higgs, who was a round-shouldered, infirm old woman
in a brown dress, a black-and-white check shawl, and a rusty black
bonnet.

She stopped short on seeing Max, and proceeded, still standing in the
doorway, to scrutinize with candid interest every detail of his
appearance. When she had satisfied herself, she waved her stick as an
intimation to him that he could sit down again, and, leaning on the arm
of the young girl, crossed the room, still without a word, and took her
seat in the one arm-chair.

As Carrie had said, there was nothing singular or marked about her face
or figure by which one could have distinguished her from the general run
of old women of her modest but apparently respectable class. A little
thin, whitish hair, parted in the middle, showed under her bonnet; her
eyes, of the faded no-color of the old, stared unintelligently out of
her hard, wrinkled face; her long, straight, hairy chin, rather hooked
nose and thin-lipped mouth made an _ensemble_ which suggested a
harmless, tedious old lady who could "nag" when she was not pleased.

Conversation was not her strong point, evidently, or, perhaps, the
presence of a stranger made her shy. For, to all Carrie's remarks and
inquiries, she vouchsafed only nods in reply, or the shortest of answers
in a gruff voice and an ungracious tone.

"Who is he?" she asked at last, when she had begun to sip her cup of
tea.

She did not even condescend to look at Max as she made the inquiry.

"A gentleman, Granny--the gentleman I told you of, who came in with me
because I was afraid to come in by myself."

"But what's he doing here now? You're not by yourself now."

Max himself could hardly help laughing at this question and comment.

"I thought I ought to explain to you my appearance here," said he,
modestly.

"Very well, then; you can go as soon as you like."

"Granny!" protested the girl in a whisper; "don't be rude to him,
Granny. He's been very kind."

"Kind! I dare say!"

Max thought it was time to go, and he rose and stood ready to make a
little speech. At that moment there was a noise in the outhouse, and
both Mrs. Higgs and Carrie seemed suddenly to lose their interest in
him, and to direct