I do n't suppose his father expected it either . I suppose he expected me to look after him a bit -- and of course I will . A boy of his age ought to be able to earn his keep , anyway . If I look out a place for him somewhere where he can do odd jobs and go to school in the winter , I think it 's all anyone can expect of me , when he ai n't really no blood relation . '' Miss Cynthia flung the last sentence at Mrs. John Joe rather defiantly , not liking the expression on that lady 's face . `` I suppose nobody could expect more , Cynthy , '' said Mrs. John Joe deprecatingly . `` He would be an awful bother , I 've no doubt , and you 've lived alone so long with no one to worry you that you would n't know what to do with him . Boys are always getting into mischief -- my four just keep me on the dead jump . Still , it 's a pity for him , poor little fellow ! No mother or father -- it seems hard . '' Miss Cynthia 's face grew grimmer than ever as she went to the door with her callers and watched them down the garden path . As soon as Mrs. John Joe saw that the door was shut , she unburdened her mind to her daughter . `` Did you ever hear tell of the like ? I thought I knew Cynthia Henderson well , if anybody in Wilmot did , but this beats me . Just think , Kitty -- there she is , no one knows how rich , and not a soul in the world belonging to her , and she wo n't even take in her brother 's child . She must be a hard woman . But it 's just meanness , pure and simple ; she grudges him what he 'd eat and wear . The poor mite does n't look as if he 'd need much . Cynthia did n't used to be like that , but it 's growing on her every day . She 's got hard as rocks . ''
That afternoon Miss Cynthia harnessed her fat grey pony XXXXX the phaeton herself -- she kept neither man nor maid , but lived in her big , immaculate house in solitary state -- and drove away down the dusty , buttercup-bordered road , leaving Wilbur sitting on the verandah .
If as at in into like of on than with