I rose from my chair and stood in my elevated position before her she
could not restrain a laugh; but for this apparent impoliteness I did
not blame her at all.

But not so much as a smile came upon the countenance of the elderly
gentleman. He, too, was small, but he had a deep voice. "Good-evening,
sir," said he. "I am told that you are the school-master at Walford,
and that you were overtaken by the storm."

I assured him that these were the facts, and stood waiting to hear
what he would say next.

"It was very proper indeed, sir, that my gardener and his wife should
take you under the protection of this roof, but as I hear that it is
proposed that you should spend the night here, I have come down to
speak about it. I will tell you at once, sir, that I have given my man
the most positive orders that he is not to allow any one to spend a
night in this house. It is so conveniently near to the road that I
should not know what sort of persons were being entertained here if I
allowed him any such privilege."

As he spoke the young lady stood silently gazing at me. There was a
remnant of a smile upon her face, but I could also see that she was a
little annoyed. I was about to make some sort of an independent answer
to the gentleman's remarks, but he anticipated me.

"I do not want you to think, sir, on account of what I have said, that
I intend to drive you off my property at this hour of the evening, and
in your inappropriate clothing. I have heard of you, sir, and you
occupy a position of trust and, to a certain degree, of honor, in your
village. Therefore, while I cannot depart from my rule--for I wish to
make no precedent of that kind--I will ask you to spend the night at
my house. You need not be annoyed by the peculiarity of your attire.
If you desire to avoid observation you can remain here until it grows
darker, and then you can walk up to the mansion. I shall have a
bed-room prepared for you, and whenever you choose you can occupy it.
I have been informed that you have had something to eat, and it is as
well, for perhaps your dress would prevent you from accepting an
invitation to our evening meal."

I still held my brier-wood pipe in my hand, and I felt inclined to
hurl it at the dapper head of the consequential little gentleman, but
with such a girl standing by it would have been impossible to treat
him with any disrespect, and as I looked at him I felt sure that his
apparent superciliousness was probabl