CHAPTER IX. THE DEATH.

n'abadthingworse?I'sa'pinion,andtelled'em,datheoughterbe'couragedtobehavehisself,seein'thethingwasdone,andcouldn'tbehelped.Butno,deywouldn'tsoIjesttells'em,saysI,'Youmaydojisyouplease,butoldTiff'sagwinewithher,'saysI.'I'llfollowMissSuetodegrave'smouth,'saysIandyeseeIhasdoneit." "Welldoneofyou!Ilikeyoubetterforit,"saidNina."Youjustdriveuptothekitchen,there,andtellRosetogiveyousomebreakfast,whileIgouptoAuntNesbit." "No,thankyou,MissNina,I'snowayshungry.'Pearslike,whenabody'slikeasIbe,swallerin'down,andalldeoldtimesrisin'inderthroatalldetime,deycan'teatdeygetsfilledalluptodereyeswithfeelin's.Lord,MissNina,Ihopeyewon'tneverknowwhat'tistostandoutsidedegate,whendebestfriendyou'vegot'sgoneinit'shard,dataris!"AndTiffpulledoutadecayed-lookinghandkerchief,andapplieditunderhisspectacles. "Well,waitaminute,Tiff."AndNinaranintothehouse,whileTiffgazedmournfullyafterher. "Well,LorjustdewayMissSueusedtorun—trip,trip,trip!—littlefeetlikemice!Lord'swillbedone!" "Oh,Milly!"saidNina,meetingMillyintheentry,"hereyouare.Here'sapoorfellowwaitingoutbythehedge,hismistressdeadallaloneinthehouse,withchildren,—nowomantodoforthem.Can'tyougodown?youcoulddosowell!Youknowhowbetterthananyoneelseinthehouse." "Why,thatmustbepooroldTiff!"saidMilly"faithfuloldcreature!Sothatpoorwoman'sgone,atlast?thebetterforher,poorsoul!Well,I'llaskMissLooifImaygo—oryouaskher,MissNina." Aquick,imperativetaponherdoorstartledAuntNesbit,whowasstandingathertoilet,finishinghermorning'sdressingoperations. Mrs.Nesbitwasaparticularlysystematicearlyriser.Nobodyknewwhyonlyfolkswhohavenothingtodoareoftenth