"There's a poor man living in the third story that I've made a good
many clothes for, first and last," said the nurse, in the same
peculiar tone.

"He must be very much obliged to you," said Ida, thinking that Mrs.
Hardwick was a better woman than she had supposed.

"We're going up to see him, now," said the nurse. "Just take care
of. that hole in the stairs. Here we are."

Somewhat to Ida's surprise, her companion opened the door without
the ceremony of knocking, and revealed a poor untidy room, in which
a coarse, unshaven man, was sitting in his shirt-sleeves, smoking a
pipe.

"Hallo!" exclaimed this individual, jumping up suddenly. "So you've
got along, old woman! Is that the gal?"

Ida stared from one to the other, in unaffected amazement.






CHAPTER X.

UNEXPECTED QUARTERS.