“Yes, sir, but in those little rooms there were no such things; only little iron stoves, that mostly smoked, being so near the roof. Even for this poor room she could scarcely pay the rent, and only managed to do it by half starving herself, living on bread and tea. Fancy a young woman in consumption living in such a way as that!” “Very sad,” said Hanson. “I really do not know what would have become of her if Miss Fronde had not found her out. She took her out of that cold, smoky room, and brought her downstairs to her own luxurious apartments, and made her comfortable there. Miss Fronde had the finest suit of rooms in the building. And then she came to me to see if she could engage commodious rooms for the sick woman and child; but it was in the thick of the season, and there was not a vacant bed, not to say room, in the whole house; and I told her so, and advised her to send the young woman to the Providence Hospital and the child to the orphan asylum. And what do you think she answered me?” “I am sure I don’t know. Something quixotic, no doubt.” “She said—that angel did—‘The dying mother and her child are devotedly attached to each other. It would be cruel to separate them now, and it would probably hasten the death of the young woman. Besides, they both cling to me, as to their only friend, in a manner that is very pathetic.’” “The instinct of self-preservation,” said Hanson curtly. “And then,” continued the janitress, “she asked me: ‘Mrs. Brown, do you think that you would send your own sister to a hospital, under such circumstances, if you had the means of taking care of her at home?’ I was forced to confess that I would not. Then she said: ‘No more will I send this poor sister woman away from me while I have, as I certainly now have, the means of taking care of her at home, even though it is but a temporary home.’ And then what do you think that angel of yours did, sir?” “Something equally quixotic, I suppose.” “She gave up her own elegant parlor to the invalid and the child. She supplied them with every possible comfort and luxury. She engaged the best medical attendance the city could supply, and she nursed the woman herself, both night and day; and not only nursed her, but read to her, talked to her, and entertained and amused her. I do believe she would have taken her to Florida to try to save her life if she had been able to travel. She was all in all to that young woman as long as the poor thing lived.” “What detained Miss Fronde so long here?”