fingers. 

The only sound that disturbed the quiet of the afternoon
in Mrs.  Francis's sitting room was the regular rub-rub
of the wash-board in the kitchen below. 

"Mrs.  Watson is slow with the washing to-day," Mrs.
Francis murmured with a look of concern on her usually
placid face.  "Possibly she is not well.  I will call her
and see." 

"Mrs.  Watson, will you come upstairs, please?" she called
from the stairway. 

Mrs.  Watson, slow and shambling, came up the stairs, and
stood in the doorway wiping her face on her apron. 

"Is it me ye want ma'am?" she asked when she had recovered
her breath.