al claim. Her arrival made Dr Rider's beefsteak
palatable, though the cookery and condition of the same were, to say the
least, far from perfect. Mrs Smith evidently was a little embarrassed
with the gracious reception she received. She twisted the corner of her
shawl in her fingers as if it had been that apron with which women
of her class habitually relieve their feelings. She was in a false
position. She came with the worst of news to the melancholy lover, and
he treated her as if she brought some special message or favour from the
lady of his thoughts.

"Well, Mrs Smith, and how are you all at the cottage?" said the doctor,
applying himself leisurely to his beefsteak.

"Well, doctor, nothing to brag of," said Mrs Smith, fixing her eyes upon
the fringe of her shawl. "I haven't nothing to say that's pleasant, more
the pity. I don' know, sir, how you'll take it when you come to hear;
but it's come very hard upon me. Not for the sake of the lodgings, as'll
let again fast enough, now the poor gentleman's sad fate is partly
forgotten; but you know, doctor, a body gets attached-like when one set
of people stays long enough to feel at home; and there ain't many young
ladies like Miss if you were to search the country through. But, now
she's really give in to it herself, there ain't no more to be said. I
never could bring myself to think Miss would give in till to-night when
she told me; though Smith he always said, when the stranger gentleman
took to coming so constant, as he knew how it would be."

"For heaven's sake, what do you mean?" cried Dr Rider, pushing away his
plate, and rising hurriedly from that dinner which was fated never to be
eaten. Mrs Smith shook her head and drew out her handkerchief.

"I know nothing more, doctor, but just they're going off to Australia,"
said the landlady, mournfully; "and Miss has started packing the big
boxes as have been in the hattic since ever they come: they're going off
back where they come from--that's all as I know."

"Impossible!" cried the doctor.

"I'd have said so myself this morning," said Mrs Smith; "but there ain't
nothing impossible, doctor, as Miss takes in her head. Don't you go and
rush out after her, Dr Rider. I beg of you upon my knees, if it was my
last word! I said to Smith I'd come up and tell the doctor, that he
mightn't hear from nobody promiscuous as couldn't explain, and mightn't
come rushing down to the cottage to know the rights of it and find the
ge