Page:Margaret Sherwood--A Puritan in Bohemia.djvu/67

A Puritan Bohemia "I never heard so many sublime ideas in my life," she said mournfully to herself one day. "People as good as that are no company for me."

"Speaking of sharing the hardships of the poor," she asked suddenly, "did you go to live with Mrs. Orr, or did Annabel make that story up?"

"No. It is true," answered the young man, reddening a little.

"I knew it!" cried Helen triumphantly. Howard failed to see the sudden beauty of her wide-opened eyes.

"Are you comfortable?" asked Mrs. Kent anxiously.

"Not luxuriously comfortable," answered Howard with a laugh. "I rather think that my pillows are filled with green apples. And the table—well, unlike Dives, we do not fare sumptuously every day. The toast is always cold, for instance."

"You are a new kind of hero, aren't you," murmured Anne, "ready to eat cold toast for the good of the masses."

"The children are very satisfactory,