Don't forget to tell Christine how we like them done, said Grace frowning anxiously. Miriam took her eyes from the protruding eyes of the Shakespeare on the wall opposite, and shut away within her her sharp sense of the many things ranged below him on the mantlepiece behind Florrie, the landscape on one side of him, the picture of Queen Victoria leaning on a walking stick between two Hindu servants, receiving an address, on the other side, the Satsuma vases and bowls on the sideboard behind Mrs. Philps, the little sharp bow of narrow curtain-screened windows behind Grace, the clean gleam on everything. Chris_tine_? Oh yes, didn't you know? She's been with us a month-- What became of Amelia? Oh we had to let her go. She got fat and lazy. They all do! they're all the same--Go on Miriam. --Well, said Miriam from the midst of her second helping--they both listened, and the steps came shambling up their stairs--and they heard the man collapse with a groan against their door. They waited and, well, all at once the man, well, they heard him being violently _ill_--Oh _Miriam_--Yes; wasn't it awful? and then a feeble voice like a chant--a-a-a-ah-oo--oo-oo-oo kom, and hailpemee--_Oh_ Meester Bell, kom, oh, I am _freezing_ to death, _what_ a pity what a pity--and then silence. She fed rapidly, holding them all silently eager for her voice again to fill out the spaces of their room--For about half an hour they heard him break out, every few minutes, _oh_ Meester Bell, dear pretty Mr. Bell kom. I am freezing to death whatta pity--whattapity. The Brooms sat breaking one against the other into fresh laughter. Miriam ate rapidly glancing from face to face. What-eh-pitie--what-eh-pitie she moaned. Can't you hear him? Grace choked and sneezed and drank a little milk. They were all still slowly and carefully eating their first helping.--You do come across some funny people said Mrs. Philps mopping her eyes and dimpling and sighing upon the end of her laughter. _I_ didn't come across him. It was at Mag's and Jan's boarding house. Mrs. Philps had not begun to listen at the beginning. But Grace and Florrie saw the whole thing clearly. Mrs. Philps did not remember who Mag and Jan were. She would not unless one told her all about their circumstances and their parents. Florrie's face was preparing a question. Then they must have--went on Miriam. There was a subdued ring at the front door bell.--There's Christine shall we have her in to change the plates aunt, frowned Florrie.--No let 'er changer dress. We can put the plates on the sideboard--Then they must both have gone to sleep again, said Miriam when Florrie returned from letting Christine in--because they did not hear him go downstairs and he wasn't there in the morning--A good thing I should think, observed Mrs. Philps. He wasn't there said Miriam cheerfully--er--not in _person_. Oh _Miriam_, protested Grace hysterically. _Oh--oh_--cried the others. Miriam watched