I'll make myself half-plain to him.' Then he comes and sits here with me for a little while." "Oh, that's all fancy as comes with you living quite alone," said Charlotte, sharply.
"Perhaps so! perhaps so!" answered the old man, with a meek sigh; "but I should be very lonesome without that." They did not speak again until Charlotte had given a final shake to the bed in the corner, upon which her bonnet and shawl had been lying.

She put them on neatly and primly; and when she was ready to go she spoke again in a constrained and mysterious manner.
"Heard nothing of Susan, I suppose ?" she said.
"Not a word," answered old Oliver, sadly.

"It's the only trouble I've got.

That were the last passion I ever went into, and I was hot and hasty, I know." "So you always used to be at times," said his sister.
"Ah! but that passion was the worst of all," he went on, speaking slowly.

"I told her if she married young Raleigh, she should never darken my doors again--never again.