home. It was a lovely afternoon, bright and sunny, with a touch of
frost in the air, when I reached the little country station. There was
a trap waiting for me outside, in charge of a garrulous old coachman
who was quite a character. When he had seen to my luggage and wrapped
a fur rug round me, I noticed him taking a sidelong glance at me, and
then he commenced, 'You're a fresh h'arrival here, I reckon, miss. We
don't so h'often have young lady visitors.'

'You have had one of the Miss Forsyths,' I said.

'Well--yes, we have, h'and I don't see much harm in her. She's
flighty, but she's young, h'and time will mend that. H'are you closely
h'intimated with the mistress?'

I smiled. 'No, I cannot say that,' I answered, 'but I hope to be soon.'

He shook his head doubtfully. 'She's no h'ordinary female. Hi'm no
great lover of the weaker sex, but hi'll say this for Miss Helen, h'and
I've known her from the time I took her h'out h'on her first pony,
she's a deal more sensibility than many h'of h'us men! I h'often says
to Susan, who h'is a poor h'useless body with a very long tongue, h'and
it's h'only the mistress's kindness to keep such h'an h'old pottering
body h'on, for she's h'always making an h'ado about nothing. I says,
"Susan, the mistress h'is h'almost h'equal to a master," and that's
saying a good deal. She holds herself high, and she's h'impatient like
of women folks; but she has a proper respect for me that has been in
the family so long, and though it is laughable how she thinks she has
me in leading-strings and manages me h'entirely, I h'affords her that
pleasure, h'and goes my h'own way. Ah! She's a fine woman, Miss Helen
is!'

With these and similar remarks he beguiled my drive, and though I
smiled at the self-importance of his tone, I could tell that he was an
attached and faithful servant. We stopped at length at a gate, drove
through it up a short avenue of limes, and then came to one of the
prettiest old-fashioned farmhouses that I have ever been in. It was a
long, low gable-roofed house, with latticed casements, and
autumn-tinted creepers covering the old grey stone and porch. The door
was open, and two large dogs darted out to welcome us. When I stepped
inside a cheery-looking old woman appeared in a very large cap and
apron.

'Miss Thorn, isn't it, my dear? The mistress was called out on a
matter of business, and she asked me to make you comfortable. Come
this way, miss; you'l