into the parlour--there is a nice fire--and sit down for a few minutes?'
said Mrs. Fairchild to Rosalys.

Rosalys began to thank her, but before she had time to do more than
begin Bridget interrupted.

'Oh yes, Alie, please do,' she said eagerly. 'I do so want to see what a
parlour's like. But, please,' she went on to Mrs. Fairchild, 'would you
first tell me what that dear little peep-hole window up in the wall is
for? I would so like to look through it.'

Alie's face grew red again; she really felt ashamed of Biddy.

'And it's worse,' she said to herself, 'to be so forward to people who
are not quite the same as us, though I'm sure Mrs. Fairchild is as nice
as any lady.'

And Mrs. Fairchild confirmed this feeling of Alie's by coming again to
the rescue.

'Certainly, my dear,' she said, smiling. 'You shall look through the
window from the other side. There's pretty sure to be a chair in front
of it, if you are not tall enough. My little girl is very fond of
looking through that funny window.'

She led the way through another door--a door facing the street
entrance--into a very small passage, whence a narrow staircase ran up to
the first floor. The children could scarcely see where they were, for
the passage was dark, till Mrs. Fairchild opened another door leading
into the parlour, and even then it was not very light, for the parlour