; till gradually the lovely country through which she was
passing ceased to be lovely; it might have been a wilderness, for all
its cheer or promise to her. Dolly had talked at first, in simple,
gleeful, girlish pleasure; little by little her words grew fewer, her
eye lost its glad life; until she sat back, withdrawn into herself, and
spoke no more unless spoken to.

The housekeeper noticed the change, saw and read the abstracted,
thoughtful look that had taken place of the gay, interested delight of
the morning. She perceived that Dolly had serious work on hand, of some
sort; and she longed to help her. For the fair, sweet, womanly
thoughtfulness was as lofty and lovely in its way, as the childlike
simplicity of enjoyment before had been bewitching. She was glad when
the day's ride came to an end.

The stoppage was made at a little wayside inn; a low building of grey
stone, overgrown with ivy and climbing roses, with a neatly kept bit of
grass in front. Here Dolly's interest and delight awoke again. This was
something unlike all she had ever seen. Simple and plain enough the inn
was; stone flooring and wooden furniture of heavy and ancient pattern
made it that; but at the same time it was substantial, comfortable,
neat as wax, and with a certain air of well-to-do thrift which was very
pleasant. Mrs. Jersey was known here and warmly received. The
travellers were shown into a cosy little room, brown wainscoted, and
with a great jar of flowers in the chimney; and here the cloth was
immediately laid for their dinner, or supper. For the supper itself
they had to wait a little; and after putting off her bonnet and
refreshing herself in an inner room, Dolly sat down by one of the small
windows. The day was declining. Slant sunbeams shot across a wide plain
and threw long shadows from the trees. The trees, especially those
overhanging the inn, were old and large and fine; the lights and
shadows were moveless, calm, peaceful; one or two neighbouring fields
were stocked with beautiful cattle; and a flock of geese went waddling
along over the green. It was removed from all the scenes of Dolly's
experience; as unlike them as her being there alone was unlike the rest
of her life; in the strangeness there was this time an element of
relief.

"How beautiful the world is, Mrs. Jersey!" she remarked.

"You find it so here?" answered her friend.

"Why, yes, I do. Don't you?"

"I suppose I am spoiled, Miss Dolly, by being accustom