and doing it as if he were
behind-hand with pay-day. Winnie's attic roof gave her a full
share of his benefits. The hours of the morning had worn away,
when towards noon a slow step was heard ascending the stairs.
It was her hostess, come up to look after her.

"All alone?" said Mrs. Nettley.

"Oh yes! --" came with most fervent breath from Winnie. Her
head uneasily turned the other cheek to the pillow.

"Poor child!" said Mrs. Nettley; and every line of her careful
and sympathetic face said it over again. "Poor child! -- And
Mr. Winthrop's been away all the morning!"

"I don't know why you call me _poor_," said Winnie, whose nerves
could not bear even that slight touch, if it happened to touch
the wrong way; -- "Of course he's been away all the morning --
he always is."

"And you're tired. I didn't mean _poor_, dear, in the way that I
am poor myself; -- not that poor, -- I only meant, -- because you
were so much here all alone without your brother."

"I know what you meant," said Winnie.

"It's hot up here, isn't it," said Mrs. Nettley going to the
window. "Dreadful. It's hot down stairs too. Can't we let a
little air in?" --

"Don't! It's hotter with it."

Mrs. Nettley left the window and came and stood by Winnie's
couch, her face again saying what her voice did not dare to
say, -- "Poor child!" --

"Mrs. Nettley --"

"What, my love?"

"I'm very cross --"

"No you aren't, my love! you're only tired."

"I'm very cross -- I don't know what makes me so -- but
sometimes I feel so it seems as if I couldn't help it. I'm
cross even to Winthrop. I'm very much obliged to you, but you
must think I aint."

"I don't think the least thing of the kind, dearest -- I know
it's miserable and suffocating up here, and you _can't_ feel -- I
wish I could make it better for you!"

"O it'll be better by and by -- when Governor gets home and it
grows cool."

"Come down and take a bit of dinner with me."

"O no, thank you, Mrs. Nettley," said Winnie brightening up, --
"I don't want anything; and Governor'll be home by and by and
then we'll have our dinner. I'm going to broil the chicken and
get everything ready."

"Well, that'll be sweeter than anything I've got," said the
good lady. -- "Why, who's there? --"

Somebody there was, knocking at the door; and when the door
was opened, who was there shewed herself in the shape of a
young lady, very bright looking and well dressed. She glanced
at Mrs. Nettley with a