I could not take a stranger into the house at such a time--they would not like to be found not speaking to each other--and, besides, I do not know--" Here I interrupted her, and begged her not to give another thought to the subject.

I wanted very much to go on, and in every way it was the best thing I could do.
As I finished speaking she pointed out a pretty house standing back from the road, and told me that was where she lived.

In a very few minutes after that I had run her up to the steps of her piazza and was assisting her to dismount from her wheel.
"It is awful!" she said.

"This rain is coming down like a cataract!" "You must hurry in-doors," I answered.

"Let me help you up the steps." And with this I took hold of her under the arms, and in a second I had set her down in front of the closed front door.