about him; she looked up at Harz, who said:

"Not at all! Let me give him some bread."

"Oh no! You must not--I will beat him--and tell him he is bad; then he
shall not do such things again. Now he is sulky; he looks so always when
he is sulky. Is this your home?"

"For the present; I am a visitor."

"But I think you are of this country, because you speak like it."

"Certainly, I am a Tyroler."

"I have to talk English this morning, but I do not like it very
much--because, also I am half Austrian, and I like it best; but my
sister, Christian, is all English. Here is Miss Naylor; she shall be
very angry with me."

And pointing to the entrance with a rosy-tipped forefinger, she again
looked ruefully at Harz.

There came into the room with a walk like the hopping of a bird an
elderly, small lady, in a grey serge dress, with narrow bands of
claret-coloured velveteen; a large gold cross dangled from a steel chain
on her chest; she nervously twisted her hands, clad in black kid gloves,
rather white about the seams.

Her hair was prematurely grey; her quick eyes brown; her mouth twisted
at one corner; she held her face, kind-looking, but long and narrow,