it, to have
to live in a place like that! They have seen better days, I know. Those
pitiful little worn crutches of hers were mahogany, I'm sure, Bertram,
and they were silver mounted."

Bertram made a restless movement.

"I know, dear; but if you had some one with you! It wouldn't do for
Will, of course, nor me--under the circumstances. But there's Aunt
Hannah--" He paused hopefully.

Billy chuckled.

"Bless your dear heart! Aunt Hannah would call for a dozen shawls in
that place--if she had breath enough to call for any after she got to
the top of those four flights!"

"Yes, I suppose so," rejoined Bertram, with an unwilling smile.
"Still--well, you _can_ take Rosa," he concluded decisively.

"How Miss Alice would like that--to catch me going 'slumming' with
my maid!" cried Billy, righteous indignation in her voice. "Honestly,
Bertram, I think even gentle Mrs. Greggory wouldn't stand for that."

"Then leave Rosa outside in the hall," planned Bertram, promptly; and
after a few more arguments, Billy finally agreed to this.

It was with Rosa, therefore, that she set out the next morning for the
little room up four flights on the narrow West End street.

Leaving the maid on the top stair of the fourth flight, Billy tapped
at Mrs. Greggory's door. To her joy Mrs. Greggory herself answered the
knock.

"Oh! Why--why, good morning," murmured the lady, in evident
embarrassment. "Won't you--come m?"

"Thank you. May I?--just a minute?" smiled Billy, brightly.

As she entered the room, Billy threw a hasty look about her. There was
no one but themselves present. With a sigh of satisfaction, therefore,
the girl took the chair Mrs. Greggory offered, and began to speak.

"I was down this way--that is, I came this way this morning," she began
a little hastily; "and I wanted just to come up and tell you how sorry
I was about--about that teapot the other day. We didn't want it, of
course--if you didn't want us to have it."

A swift change crossed Mrs. Greggory's perturbed face.

"Oh, then you didn't come for it again--to-day," she said. "I'm so glad!
I didn't want to refuse--_you_."

"Indeed I didn't come for it--and we sha'n't again. Don't worry about
that, please."

Mrs. Greggory sighed.

"I'm afraid you thought me very rude and--and impossible the other day,"
she stammered. "And please let me take this opportunity right now to
apologize for my daughter. She was overwrought and excited. She didn't
know what sh