more strongly than Miss
Unity's consenting to leave the house just after it had rained, or just
before it was going to rain. Damp was dreadful, and mud was a sort of
torture, but it had become worse than either to deny Pennie a pleasure,
and they presently set out for the College shrouded in waterproofs,
though the sun was now shining brightly.

Old Nurse was at home, and received them with great delight. Miss Unity
and she had so much to say to each other about the measles at Easney,
and other matters, that Pennie began to fear it might be difficult to
get in a word upon any subject more interesting to herself. She was
quite determined, however, to do it if possible, and the thought of how
bold Nancy would be in like circumstances gave her courage. She would
be bold too when the moment came, and she sat watching for it, her eyes
fixed on Nurse's face, and a sentence all ready to thrust in at the
first crevice in the conversation.

At last it came.

"Does Kettles' mother still come and scrub for you?" she asked, shooting
out the sentence so suddenly that Miss Unity started.

"Lor', now, Miss Pennie, what a memory you have got to be sure!"
exclaimed old Nurse with sincere admiration. "To think of your
remembering that! No, she doesn't, poor soul, and I begin to doubt if
she ever will again."

"Why?" asked Pennie breathlessly.

"She's been down with rheumatic fever these three weeks," said Nurse,
shaking her head regretfully. "It's a poor woman who lives close by,
Miss,"--turning to Miss Unity--"a very sad case."

"She knows," interrupted Pennie, for she thought it a great waste of
time to explain matters all over again.

"My dear," corrected Miss Unity, "let Mrs Margetts speak."

"I run over to see her sometimes," continued old Nurse, "and take her a
morsel of something, but it beats me to understand how those people
live. There's five children, and the only person earning anything, laid
on her back."

"Don't they get parish relief?" inquired Miss Unity with a look of
distress. "They ought to have an allowance from the sick fund. Who
visits them?"

"It's my belief," said old Nurse lowering her voice, "that no one ever
goes nigh them at all. You see, Miss, the husband takes more than is
good for him, and then he gets vi'lent and uses bad language. Of course
the ladies who visit don't like that."

"I can quite understand it," said Miss Unity, drawing herself up.

"Of course you can, Miss," said