She sat down in her usual place, looked about her with the
same wondering stare, and then, as of old, poured herself out the
first cup of tea.

"Where's the what-not gone to?" she suddenly asked.

Ann Eliza set down the teapot and rose to get a spoon from the
cupboard. With her back to the room she said: "The what-not? Why,
you see, dearie, living here all alone by myself it only made one
more thing to dust; so I sold it."

Evelina's eyes were still travelling about the familiar room.
Though it was against all the traditions of the Bunner family to
sell any household possession, she showed no surprise at her
sister's answer.

"And the clock? The clock's gone too."

"Oh, I gave that away--I gave it to Mrs. Hawkins. She's kep'
awake so nights with that last baby."

"I wish you'd never bought it," said Evelina harshly.

Ann Eliza's heart grew faint with fear. Without answering,
she crossed over to her sister's seat and poured her out a second
cup of tea. Then another thought struck her, and she went back to
the cupboard and took out the cordial. In Evelina's absence
considerable draughts had been drawn from it by invalid neighbours;
but a glassful of the precious liquid still remained.