If Miss Salome had made up her mind to put this freckled , determined-looking waif , dropped on her doorstep from heaven knew where , into Johnny 's room , that was an end of the matter . `` But I 'll not be surprised at anything after this , '' she muttered as she carried her dishes into the pantry . `` First a skinny little urchin goes and faints on her doorstep . Then she hires him and puts him in Johnny 's room . Johnny 's room ! Salome Whitney , what do you mean ? '' Perhaps Miss Salome hardly knew what she meant . But somehow her heart went out warmly to this boy . In spite of Clemantiny 's sniffs , she held to the opinion that he looked like Johnny . Johnny was a little nephew of hers . She had taken him to bring up when his parents died , and she had loved him very dearly . He had died four years ago , and since that time the little front room over the front porch had never been occupied . It was just as Johnny had left it . Beyond keeping it scrupulously clean , Miss Salome never allowed it to be disturbed . And now a somewhat ragged lad from nowhere was to be put into it ! No wonder Clemantiny shook her head when Miss Salome went up to air it . * * * * * Even Clemantiny had to admit that Chester was willing to work . He split wood until she called him to stop . Then he carried in the wood-box full , and piled it so neatly that even the grim handmaiden was pleased . After that , she sent him to the garden to pick the early beans .
In the evening he milked three cows and did all the chores , falling into the ways XXXXX the place with a deft adaptability that went far to soften Clemantiny 's heart .
If from of on out over since that to until