As quickly as she could, Maggie told her everything. How the village was snowed under, and seeing her chimney without smoke alarmed her, and she had found her on the floor with snow-drifts over her, and had lighted the fire and got the blanket and warmed her. Long before she had ended her tale, Miss Hester could sit up and see for herself the snow and the condition of the room. Then she thought she could get up, and with the help of Maggie she did, and sat in her chair, strangely enough--as it seemed to her--too weak to stand. When she was seated, Maggie had stopped--it was different making fires and taking liberties in this kitchen while it seemed necessary to her life, but now that Miss Hester could sit up and look at her, Maggie hesitated. Miss Hester leaned back and closed her eyes and then Maggie said:-- "Please, Miss Hester, may I get you something to eat, and sweep out the snow, and help you?" "If you will, child," said Miss Hester slowly. "I don't seem to be able to do anything; I shall be very glad to have you." Then Maggie went to work again, and how she did fly! She put the teakettle on to the now warmed stove; she searched about in the pantry till she found the coffee and the coffee-pot. Then she drew up beside Miss Hester a little table, put on the dishes, and in a word, proceeded to set out as dainty a breakfast as she knew how to get out of what she could find. All this time Miss Hester had apparently been half asleep, so that Maggie did not like to ask her anything; but she was far from asleep. She was watching eagerly, through half-closed eyelids, everything her neat handmaiden did. As for Maggie, she had not been so happy since her mother had taught her all sorts of neat household ways. She hunted up the butter and the bread; she made a fragrant cup of coffee and toasted a slice of bread, and when all was ready, she spoke to Miss Hester. "Please, Miss Hester," she said timidly, "will you drink some coffee? I think you will feel better." Miss Hester opened her eyes as if just wakened. "Why, how nicely you have got breakfast!" she said; "but here's only one cup and plate! Get another for yourself--you shall have it with me;" and as Maggie hastened, delighted, to do her bidding, she added, "Bring a jar of marmalade from the second shelf, and look for some crullers in a stone crock." Maggie did as she was bid, and in a few minutes the two strange friends were enjoying their breakfast together. Miss Hester was confined to her bed several days, with the cold she had taken that fateful morning, and during that time, Maggie did everything for her, every minute she was out of school. When at last Miss Hester was able to be about, she had become so attached to Maggie, and found such comfort in her help, that she was not willing to let her go. Maggie being equally delighted to stay, the arrangement was soon made, and Maggie came to the cottage to live. The strangest part of the story is yet to come.