aintance of Mrs Moffatt had increased neither liking nor
respect, it had developed a sincere pity for a woman whose life was
barren of purpose, of interest, apparently of love also. It was not in
Cornelia's nature to see anyone suffer and not try to help, and if it
had been her own mother on whom she was waiting she could not have shown
more care and consideration. A table was placed by Mrs Moffatt's side,
tea was made with exact remembrance of her preferences; a cushion was
brought from a sofa to put behind her back, and a footstool placed ready
for her feet. It was while she still knelt to put the stool in position
that the elder woman at length broke silence.

"See here, Cornelia!" she cried suddenly, "I mayn't have another chance
of talking to you quietly before you go, and there's something I want to
say. ... You are young, and rich, and pretty, and strong, and you've
had a good time all the way through. Your Poppar spoils you, and you've
got just to wish for a thing, and it's there right along. I'm glad of
it, for you're a real sweet girl, but, _don't come down too hard on
other people_! ... It's a pretty queer world when you compare one
person's luck with another! I'm not going to tell you all I've come
through, but it's not been too easy. At times I've been to blame, and
at times I haven't. I don't know as it makes much difference anyway--
the end's the same. Seems to you I'm a pretty poor thing, but you don't
know how you'd have been yourself, Cornelia, if you'd come along the
same road. You've got to remember that, before you judge!"

"That's so!" assented Cornelia, gravely. She was too "straight" to deny
an insinuation which was all too true, but at the same time she felt an
acute regret and embarrassment in the thought that a woman so much older
than herself should feel it necessary to make such a confession of
unworthiness. "I ought to be a heap better than I am, for there isn't
anyone living that's had a better time. We've had spells when Poppar's
had bad luck, and the money's been short, but we were as happy as grigs
planning out how we'd spend the next pile. So long as you can get
along, it doesn't matter much about the extras, when you're as happy
together as we are, Poppar and I."

Mrs Moffatt sighed once more.

"I never knew my parents. They died when I was a baby, and I was raised
among strangers, who put up with me for the sake of the pay. Love never
came my way, somehow. I sup