t," said Mr. Tippengray. "It is a beautiful country.
If you like I will go with you. I'm not a bad guide; I know every road,
path, and short cut."

Walter Lodloe expressed his satisfaction at the proposed companionship,
and suggested that the first walk be to the village of Lethbury, peeping
up among the trees in the distance.

"Lethbury!" exclaimed the Greek scholar. "Well, sir, if it's all the
same to you, I prefer walking in any direction to that of Lethbury. It's
a good enough place, but to-day I don't feel drawn to it."

"Very good," said Lodloe; "we will walk anywhere but in the direction of
Lethbury."

About half an hour afterward, Mrs. Petter, having finished carving a
pair of fowls, paused for a moment's rest in serving the little company,
and looked out of the dining-room window.

"Upon my word!" she exclaimed, "this is too bad. When other boarders
came, I thought Mr. Tippengray would begin to behave like other
Christians, and come to his meals at the proper time. At supper last
night and breakfast this morning he was at the table as soon as anybody,
and I was beginning to feel real heartened up, as if things were going
to run on regular and proper. But now look at that? Isn't that enough to
make a housekeeper give up in despair?"

Mrs. Cristie, Lodloe, and Mr. Petter all looked out of the window, and
beheld the Greek scholar engaged in pushing the baby carriage backward
and forward under the shade of a large tree; while, on a seat near by,
the maid Ida sat reading a book. Now passing nearer, Mr. Tippengray
stopped, and with sparkling eyes spoke to her. Then she looked up, and
with sparkling eyes answered him. Then together, with sparkling eyes,
they conversed for a few minutes, evidently about the book. After a few
more turns of the carriage Mr. Tippengray returned to the maid; the
sparkling eyes were raised again from the book, and the scene was
repeated.

"He has lent her a book," said Mrs. Cristie. "She did not take that one
out with her."

"There's a time for books, and there's a time for meals," said Mrs.
Petter. "Why didn't he keep his book until he had eaten his dinner?"

"I think Mr. Tippengray must be something of a philosopher," said
Lodloe, "and that he prefers to take his books to a pretty maid when
other people are at dinner."

"My wife does not altogether understand the ways of scholars," said Mr.
Petter. "A gentleman giving most of his time to Greek cannot be expected
to give much