“A lady!  I should think she was, indeed!  One of the best that ever lived!  ’Twould be a good thing for this world if there were more like her.”

Huldah listened intently.  She wondered if she should ever see this wonderful Miss Rose, and find out what it was that made Mrs. Perry speak so warmly about her.  She thought it must be fine to be thought much of by anybody so superior as Mrs. Perry.

“I think you are the kindest lady in the world,” she said, impulsively, looking up at her hostess with shy, grateful eyes.  “Would Miss Rose have taken me and Dick in, if we had come to her house like we did to yours?”

“That she would!” declared Mrs. Perry, emphatically, “and ’twas the thought of what she would do that made me do it.”

“I’d love to see Miss Rose,” said Huldah, eagerly.  “I wonder if I ever shall!” but the kettle boiled at that moment, and Mrs. Perry’s mind was taken up with the making of the tea.

While they sat on each side of the hearth, drinking their tea and eating their crusts of bread, she wished Miss Rose could know about this little waif, who seemed really not a bad little waif, but honest and very thoughtful and kind.  She wanted her advice as to what to do about her.  Already her feelings towards the child had changed so much that she did not like to think of sending her away in the morning, to wander on alone again, with no home, no money or food, and no protection but Dick.

Dick might be killed, or stolen, and then the poor little soul would be alone in the world.  Huldah looked up eagerly at her hostess more than once, but, though she was longing to ask some more questions, she did not like to interrupt her while she gazed with such grave, thoughtful eyes into the fire.

At last Mrs. Perry roused herself from her thoughts, with a tired sigh, and brought her eyes back to Huldah again.  “Have a bit more bread,” she urged, kindly, seeing that the little brown hand was empty.  “You must be hungry.”

Huldah was always hungry, but she was not accustomed to any notice being taken of the fact.  “No, thank you, ma’am,” she said, politely.  She had already guessed that her kind protector was very poor, and she knew well what a difference every slice made to a loaf, so she said, “No, thank you, ma’am,” though she could really have eaten the whole of the nice brown crusty top.  But she was more interested in Miss Rose than in her own appetite.

“Does Miss Rose live near here?” she asked.

Mrs. Perry smiled.  “Why, how funny!” she exclaimed.  “I was thinking of Miss Rose too.  Yes; she lives at the vicarage, and that’s a little way further on in the main road.  If you hadn’t turned down this lane, you’d have come to it about half-a-mile further on.  I wonder you didn’t see the church tower as you came along.”

“It was too dark,” said Huldah.  “Oh, I was glad when I saw your light shine out,” she added, impetuously.  “I didn’t know what to do or where to go, and we were so tired!  I very nearly lay down under the hedge, ’cause I felt as if I couldn’t drag another step.”