be a pretty brunette of about five-and-twenty, whose dark eyes during
our short interview were every now and then fixed on me with an
intentness that seemed to be trying to read what kind of person I was;
whilst her manner, though decidedly pleasing, had a certain restlessness
in it which I could not help observing. Her father and mother being
both dead, she kept the lodging-house herself. I asked her if she had a
good cook, to which she replied that she was responsible for most of
that difficult part of the menage herself, keeping two maids to assist
in the house and parlour work. She went on to say that her drawing-room
was "dissected:" a term common amongst north country lodging-house
keepers, and meant to express that it was undergoing its autumn
cleaning, but she would have it put straight if I wished. I told her
that we should be quite contented with the dining-room, provided we had
a good bed-room. This she at once showed me, and, soon coming to terms,
I returned to the hotel.

After breakfast, I went to the bureau to ask for my account. Whilst it
was being made out, I observed casually that I had taken lodgings at
Miss G.'s on Cliff Terrace, upon which the accountant looked quickly up
and said: "Oh, Miss G.'s," and then as quickly went on with my bill. I
hardly noticed this at the moment, though I thought of it afterwards.

Eleven o'clock saw us comfortably ensconced in our rooms. After lunch,
we took a delightful expedition, the weather having greatly moderated.
We found that night, at dinner, that Miss G. was a first-rate cook, and
we retired to rest much pleased with our quarters.

We soon made the acquaintance of the two maids, Jane, who waited upon
us, and Mary, the housemaid; and two very pleasant and obliging young
women we found them.

About the third morning of our stay, on going up to my bed-room after
breakfast, I was surprised to find a strange maid in the room. She was
standing by the bed, smoothing down the bed-clothes with both hands and
appeared to take no notice of me, but continued gazing steadily in front
of her, while her hands went mechanically on smoothing the clothes. I
could not help being struck with her pale face, which wore a look of
pain, and the fixed and almost stony expression of her eyes. I left her
in exactly the same position as I found her. On coming down I said to my
wife: "I did not know Miss G. employed three servants. There certainly
is another making the bed in our ro