r on the cheeks, and bands of perfectly white hair
falling over the ears. But it was the expression which attracted me;
it was peculiarly sweet and winning.

My halt could only have been momentary. I recollected myself and was
passing on, when she spoke to me.

"Would you be so kind as to do me a favour, sir?" she asked.

The voice was as sweet and winning as her expression; though she spoke
perfect English, yet there was the very slightest _soupcon_ of a
foreign accent. Of what country, I could not tell.

I stopped again as she spoke, and having perhaps among my friends a
little reputation for politeness to the weaker sex, especially the
older members of it--for I am not by way of being a Lothario, be it
said--I answered her as politely as I could.

"In what way may I be of service to you?"

She brought her walking stick round in front of her and leant upon it
with both hands as she made her request. She then appeared, in the
fuller light of the yellow-flamed old-fashioned gas lamp opposite, to
be much older than I first thought.

"I want you, if you will," she said, "to come into this house for a few
minutes. I wish to ask a further favour of you which I shall then have
an opportunity of explaining, but, on the other hand, the service I
shall ask will not go unrewarded."

Prepossessing though her appearance and address were, yet I hesitated.

I took another long look at her open face, white hair, and very correct
old lady's black hat secured by a veil tied under her chin. It was
just such a hat as my own dear mother used to wear.

"You seem to hesitate," she remarked, noting, I suppose, my delay in
answering her; "but I assure you you have nothing to fear."

I took a sudden resolve, despite the many tragedies I had read of in
connection with empty houses; I would trust her.

There was something about her face which conveyed confidence.

"Very well," I replied, "if I can be of any use to you, I _will_ come
in."

"Thank you," she said, "then kindly follow me."

She turned and held the door for me to pass in; when I was inside she
closed it, and we stood almost in complete darkness, except for the
glimmering reflected light of the yellow street lamp opposite, which
struggled in through the dirty pane of glass over the door.

"Now," she added, "I will get a light."

She passed me and went to the hall table on which stood one of those
candlesticks in which the candle is protected by a glass chimn