\"i canna do it,\" said higgins. \"i\"m welly felled wi\" seeing him. we wasn\"tfriends; and now he\"s dead.\"

\"well, if thou wunnot thou wunnot. some one mun, though. it\"s a dreetask; but it\"s a chance, every minute, as she doesn\"t hear on it in somerougher way nor a person going to make her let on by degrees, as itwere.\"

\"papa, do you go,\" said margaret, in a low voice.

\"if i could--if i had time to think of what i had better say; but all at once---\"

margaret saw that her father was indeed unable. he was tremblingfrom head to foot.

\"i will go,\" said she.

\"bless yo\", miss, it will be a kind act; for she\"s been but a sickly sort ofbody, i hear, and few hereabouts know much on her.\"

margaret knocked at the closed door; but there was such a noise, as ofmany little ill-ordered children, that she could hear no reply; indeed, shedoubted if she was heard, and as every moment of delay made her recoilfrom her task more and more, she opened the door and went in, shuttingit after her, and even, unseen to the woman, fastening the bolt.

mrs. boucher was sitting in a rocking-chair, on the other side of the ill-redd-up fireplace; it looked as if the house had been untouched for daysby any effort at cleanliness.

margaret said something, she hardly knew what, her throat and mouth

were so dry, and the children\"s noise pletely prevented her frombeing heard. she tried again.

\"how are you, mrs. boucher? but very poorly, i\"m afraid.\"

\"i\"ve no chance o\" being well,\" said she querulously. \"i\"m left alone tomanage these childer, and nought for to give \"em for to keep \"em quiet.

john should na ha\" left me, and me so poorly.\"

\"how long is it since he went away?\"

\"four days sin\". no one would give him work here, and he\"d to go ontramp toward greenfield. but he might ha\" been back afore this, or sentme some word if he\"d getten work. he might----\"