e," answered Jack, not liking the tone of voice of
the speaker. "You will excuse me if I do not explain the reason for my
movements until we are further acquainted."

"Spoken like a sensible youth!" remarked the stranger. "I will ask no
further questions then, though I suspect you have no cause to be ashamed
of whatever you are about."

The conversation, if so it could be called, was cut short by the
entrance of Dame Pearson and her young attendant, bearing the dishes for
supper, which they placed on a table on which the cloth had already been
spread. The tall stranger took his seat at it with the same
self-confident air with which he had entered the room. At that moment
Ned Burdale came in, and was about to take his seat at the board, when,
seeing the stranger, he stopped short.

"I beg your pardon, sir! I did not know--"

"Never mind!" said the stranger; "sit down, Ned; say not a word about
it, man!" and he gave him at the same time a significant glance.

Burdale obeyed; but he evidently stood greatly in awe of the person who
had spoken to him. Very little conversation took place during the meal;
and Jack had time to examine the countenance of the young girl who had
assisted Dame Pearson in preparing the supper, and who now took her seat
by her side at the head of the table. There was a bright, intelligent
look about her, and a refinement of expression which Jack scarcely
expected to find in a dwelling so remote from the civilised world. Her
education also had evidently not been neglected, for she had apparently
read a good deal, and her mind was well stored with information on
various subjects. Jack did not find all this out at first; but he very
soon began to suspect it. He discovered also that she had derived a
good deal of her information from the dame herself, who, though
apparently a mere farmer's wife, was evidently a person of superior
education, equalled, indeed, by very few ladies in Nottingham or
elsewhere at that period. The stranger also treated her with
considerable respect; and though he spoke in a rough way to Jack and
Burdale, whenever he deigned to address them, his manner was greatly
softened as he turned to the dame or the young girl. She was acquainted
with most of Jack's favourite authors; could recite many of the ballads
about Robin Hood; and she was also especially well versed in Foxe's
"Book of Martyrs," a copy of which she exhibited with no little
satisfaction to him. He obs