chest of drawers of the same wood, in their places;
and a round mahogany stand which seemed to be meant for no
particular place but to do duty anywhere. And in the corner of
the room was Winthrop, with Mrs. Nettley and Clam for
assistants, busy putting up a bedstead. He looked up slightly
from his work when Elizabeth shewed herself, but gave her no
further attention. Clam grinned. Mrs. Nettley was far too
intent upon holding her leg of the bedstead true and steady,
to notice or know anything else whatever.

Elizabeth looked for a moment, without being able to utter a
word; and then turned about and went and stood at the open
door, her breast heaving thick and her eyes too full to see a
thing before her. Then she heard Winthrop pass behind her and
go into the other room. Elizabeth followed quickly. He had
stooped to the paper of screws, but stood up when she came in,
to speak to her.

"I am ashamed of myself for having so carelessly brought you
to a dismantled house. I had entirely forgotten that it was
so, in this degree, -- though I suppose I must at some time
have heard it."

"It would have made no difference, --" said Elizabeth, and said
no more.

"I will return to the city to-morrow, and send you up
immediately whatever you will give order for. It can be here
in a very few days."

Elizabeth looked at the maple chairs and the mahogany table,
and she could not speak, for her words choked her. Winthrop
stooped again to his paper of screws and hinges and began
turning them over.

"What are you going to do?" said Elizabeth, coming a step
nearer.

"I am going to see if I can put up these blinds?"

"Blinds!" said Elizabeth.

"Yes. -- I was fortunate enough to find some that were not very
far from the breadth of the windows. They were too long; and I
made the man shorten them. I think they will do."

"What _did_ you take all that trouble for?"

"It was no trouble."

"Where did all these things come from?"

"From Starlings -- I hadn't to go any further than that for
them."

"How far is it?"

"Twelve miles."

"Twelve miles there and back!"

"Makes twenty-four."

"In this hot day! -- I am very sorry, Mr. Landholm!"

"For what?" said he, shouldering one of the green blinds.

"You are not going to put those on yourself?"

"I am going to try -- as I said."

"You have done enough day's work," said Elizabeth. "Pray
don't, at least to-night. It's quite late. Please don't! --"

"If I don't to-nigh