"I was in the service of Mr. Blake's father and he died a year ago."

"Since when you have remained with Mr. Blake himself?"

"Yes sir."

"And this Emily, when did she come here?"

"Oh it must be eleven months or so ago."

"An Irish girl?"

"O no, American. She is not a common person, sir."

"What do you mean by that? That she was educated, lady-like, pretty,
or what?"

"I don't know what to say. She was educated, yes, but not as you
would call a lady educated. Yet she knew a great many things the rest
of us did'nt. She liked to read, you see, and--O sir, ask the girls
about her, I never know what to say when I am questioned."

I scanned the gray-haired woman still more intently than I had yet
done. Was she the weak common-place creature she seemed, or had she
really some cause other than appeared for these her numerous breaks
and hesitations.

"Where did you get this girl?" I inquired. "Where did she live before
coming here?"