snubbing Polly she could not now descend from her dignity so far as to
ask her questions. Polly on her side was always silent when attending on
Miss Gray, and never ventured upon the least freedom with the haughty
little foundling.

When Hetty descended to the breakfast-room she found only Mr. and Mrs.
Enderby at the table. Mrs. Rushton was still in her room, and was having
her breakfast there.

"This is little Hetty," said Mrs. Enderby, presenting her to her
husband.

Mr. Enderby put down his paper and looked at Hetty gravely and
critically, Hetty thought pityingly.

"How do you do, my dear?" he said, patting her shoulder. "I see you
have not been accustomed to early hours."

Hetty hung her head and sat down at the table. Mrs. Enderby supplied her
wants and then went on reading her letters; and Hetty ate in silence,
wondering why she was not called on to talk and amuse these people as
she had been accustomed to amuse Mrs. Rushton's fashionable friends.
This quiet wise-looking lady and gentleman seemed to look on her with
quite different eyes from those with which the rest of the world
regarded her. They neither snubbed nor petted her, only seemed satisfied
to allow her to be comfortable beside them.

Presently she plucked up courage to ask:

"Are Phyllis and Nell not coming to breakfast?"