Margaret Campbell had been an orphan ever since she could remember . She had been brought up by a distant relative of her father 's -- that is , she had been given board , lodging , some schooling and indifferent clothes for the privilege of working like a little drudge in the house of the grim cousin who sheltered her . The death of this cousin flung Margaret on her own resources . A friend had procured her employment as the `` companion '' of a rich , eccentric old lady , infirm of health and temper . Margaret lived with her for five years , and to the young girl they seemed treble the time . Her employer was fault-finding , peevish , unreasonable , and many a time Margaret 's patience almost failed her -- almost , but not quite . In the end it brought her a more tangible reward than sometimes falls to the lot of the toiler . Mrs. Constance died , and in her will she left to Margaret her little up-country cottage and enough money to provide her an income for the rest of her life . Margaret took immediate possession of her little house and , with the aid of a capable old servant , soon found herself very comfortable . She realized that her days of drudgery were over , and that henceforth life would be a very different thing from what it had been . Margaret meant to have `` a good time . '' She had never had any pleasure and now she was resolved to garner in all she could of the joys of existence . `` I 'm not going to do a single useful thing for a year , '' she had told Mrs. Boyd gaily . `` Just think of it -- a whole delightful year of vacation , to go and come at will , to read , travel , dream , rest . After that , I mean to see if I can find something to do for other folks , but I 'm going to have this one golden year . And the first thing in it is our trip to Vancouver . I 'm so glad I have the chance to go with you . It 's a wee bit short notice , but I 'll be ready when you want to start . '' Altogether , Margaret felt pretty well satisfied with life as she tripped blithely down the country road between the ranks of snow-laden spruces , with the blue sky above and the crisp , exhilarating air all about . There was only one drawback , but it was a pretty serious one .
It 's so lonely XXXXX spells , Margaret sometimes thought wistfully .
In as at by from on since than to with