negro had lost his awe of a
white skin. It was some time before she could separate the gibberish
into words, but finally she made out: "Bargain! Bargain! Here's yo'
fine cowfee! Here's yo' pickled peppers! Come see! Come see! Only come
see! Make you buy. Want any jelly cocoanut? Any yams? Nice grenadilla.
Make yo' mouth water. Lady! Lady! Buy here! Very cheap! Very nice!
Real!"

Anne paused before a stall spread with cotton cloth and bought enough
for several skirts, the result of her complaisance being a siege of
itinerant vendors that nearly deafened her. The big women were
literally covered with their young ("pic'nees"), who clung to their
skirts, waist, hips, bosoms; and these mites, with the parrot
proclivities of their years and race added their shrill: "By'm, lady,
by'm!"

The proprietor of the cloth volubly promised to deliver the purchase
at Bath House and Anne fled down the street until she was stopped
by a drove of sheep whose owner was crying: "Oyez! Oyez! Come to the
shambles of Mr. Columbus Brown. Nice fat lambs and big fat sheep. Very
cheap! Very cheap!"

Anne retreated into a shop of some depth to avoid the dust. When the
drove had passed she was rescued by Lord Hunsdon, who lifted his broad
panama without smiling. He was a very serious looking young man, with
round staring anxious blue eyes under pent white brows, an ascetic
mouth and a benevolent dome. He was immaculate in white linen, and
less pinched about the waist than his fashionable contemporaries.

"I believe it is not considered quite _de rigueur_ for young ladies
and young gentlemen to walk unchaperoned," he said diffidently; "but
in the circumstances I think I may come to your relief and escort you
back to the hotel."

"Not yet, please," Anne emerged and walked rapidly toward the edge of
the town. "I cannot go back and sit in the hotel till half past nine.
I am accustomed to a long walk before breakfast."

"But Mrs. Nunn----"

"She must get used to my tramps. I should fall ill if I gave them up.
Indeed, she is sadly aware that I am no fine lady, and no doubt will
shortly give _me_ up. But if you are afraid of her, pray go back. I
recall, she said I was not to be escorted----"

"If you are determined to go on I shall accompany you, particularly as
I wish to talk to you on a subject of great importance. Have I your
permission?"

Quite lacking in vanity or worldliness, it was impossible that he
should be unaware of his importance as