s judgment, too stout, too
decided, and perhaps too loud to be a spinster. A full week passed
by before this question was decided by the promised visit,--a week
during which the new comer never left her house at any hour at which
callers could be expected to call, so anxious was she to become
acquainted with her neighbour; and she had almost given the matter
up in despair, thinking that Mrs Stumfold had interfered with her
tyranny, when, one day immediately after lunch--in these days Miss
Mackenzie always lunched, but seldom dined--when one day immediately
after lunch, Miss Todd was announced.

Miss Mackenzie immediately saw that she had been wrong. Miss Todd was
the stout, red-faced lady with the children. Two of the children,
girls of eleven and thirteen, were with her now. As Miss Todd walked
across the room to shake hands with her new acquaintance, Miss
Mackenzie at once recognised the manner in which the street door had
been slammed, and knew that it was the same firm step which she had
heard on the pavement half down the Paragon.

"My friend, Miss Baker, told me you had come to live next door to
me," began Miss Todd, "and therefore I told her to tell you that
I should come and see you. Single ladies, when they come here,
generally like some one to come to them. I'm single myself, and these
are my nieces. You've got a niece, I believe, too. When the Popes
have nephews, people say all manner of ill-natured things. I hope
they ain't so uncivil to us."

Miss Mackenzie smirked and smiled, and assured Miss Todd that she
was very glad to see her. The allusion to the Popes she did not
understand.

"Miss Baker came with Mrs Stumfold, didn't she?" continued Miss Todd.
"She doesn't go much anywhere now without Mrs Stumfold, unless when
she creeps down to me. She and I are very old friends. Have you known
Mr Stumfold long? Perhaps you have come here to be near him; a great
many ladies do."

In answer to this, Miss Mackenzie explained that she was not a
follower of Mr Stumfold in that sense. It was true that she had
brought a letter to him, and intended to go to his church. In
consequence of that letter, Mrs Stumfold had been good enough to call
upon her.

"Oh yes: she'll come to you quick enough. Did she come with her
carriage and horses?"

"I think she was on foot," said Miss Mackenzie.

"Then I should tell her of it. Coming to you, in the best house in
the Paragon, on your first arrival, she ought to have come w