spot: she would sell off all her furniture by public sale that very
hour, and leave only an empty house behind her. She knew that she was
considered a mystery in the neighborhood; probably, then, people would
come to a Mystery's sale, and pay good prices for a Mystery's furniture.
Of one thing she was certain--no buyer in that region knew how to buy
for prices as low as she herself had paid. Her method of buying was
genius. In five minutes a boy and a bell were secured, in half an hour
the whole neighborhood had heard the announcement, and, as mademoiselle
had anticipated, flocked to the sale. She attended to all negotiations
in person, still in her role of a Mystery, and sailed for Europe the
next day in triumph, having in her pocket nearly twice the sum she had
originally expended. She did not once think of Anne in connection with
this. Although she had given her authority to use the half-house, and
had intrusted to her care her own key, it seemed almost impossible that
the young girl would wish to use it. For was she not admirably
established at Weston, with all the advantages of mademoiselle's own
name and position behind her?

And thus it was that only bare walls met Anne's eyes as, followed by
Nora, she went from room to room, asking herself silently what she
should do in this new emergency that confronted her. One door they found
locked; it was the door of the store-room: there must, then, be
something within. Li was summoned to break the lock, and nothing loath,
he broke it so well that it was useless from that hour. Yes, here was
something--the unsold articles, carefully placed in order. A chair, a
kitchen table, an iron tea-kettle with a hole in it, and two straw
beds--the covers hanging on nails, and the straw tied in bundles
beneath; there was also a collection of wooden boxes, which mademoiselle
had endeavored, but without success, to dispose of as "old, superior,
and well-seasoned kindling-wood." It was a meagre supply of furniture
with which to begin housekeeping, a collection conspicuous for what it
lacked. But Anne, summoning courage, directed Li to carry down stairs
all the articles, such as they were, while she cheered old Nora with the
promise to buy whatever was necessary, and asked her to unpack the few
supplies she had herself purchased on her way through the city. The
kitchen stove was gone; but there was a fire-place, and Li made a bright
fire with some of the superior kindling-wood, mended the k