Was it maidenliness in the waning woman of five-and-forty?
It was, I believe; for how can a woman always remember how old she is?
If ever there was a young soul in God's world, it was Letty Napier.

And the young man was tall and stately as a Scandinavian chief, with a look of command, tempered with patient endurance, in his eagle face, for he was more like an eagle than any other creature, and in his countenance signs of suffering.

Miss Letty seeing this, was moved, and her heart swelled, and she grew conscious and shy, and turning to Robert, said, 'Come up the stair wi' 's, Robert; I may want ye.' Robert jumped to his feet.

His heart too had been yearning towards the stranger.
As if yielding to the inevitable, Ericson rose and followed Miss Letty.
But when they had reached the room, and the door was shut behind them, and Miss Letty pointed to a chair beside which stood a little wooden tub full of hot water, saying, 'Sit ye doon there, Mr.Ericson,' he drew himself up, all but his graciously-bowed head, and said, 'Ma'am, I must tell you that I followed the rest in here from the very stupidity of weariness.

I have not a shilling in my pocket.' 'God bless me!' said Miss Letty--and God did bless her, I am sure--'we maun see to the feet first.