and for all she be so religious, the poor about do bless her very
footsteps. She does a power of good; she gave me half-a-guinea, your
honour; an excellent young lady, so sensible like!"

"Thank you; I can tighten the girths!--so!--there, Bunting, there's
something for old companion's sake."

"Thank your honour; you be too good, always was--baugh! But I hopes your
honour be a coming to live here now; 'twill make things smile agin!"

"No, Bunting, I fear not," said Walter, spurring through the gates of
the yard; "Good day."

"Augh, then," cried the Corporal, hobbling breathlessly after him,
"if so be as I shan't see your honour agin, at which I am extramely
consarned, will your honour recollect your promise, touching the 'tato
ground? The steward, Master Bailey, 'od rot him, has clean forgot
it--augh!"

"The same old man, Bunting, eh? Well, make your mind easy, it shall be
done."

"Lord bless your honour's good heart; thankye; and--and"--laying
his hand on the bridle--"your honour did say, the bit cot should be
rent-free. You see, your honour," quoth the Corporal, drawing up with
a grave smile, "I may marry some day or other, and have a large family;
and the rent won't sit so easy then--augh!"

"Let go the rein, Bunting--and consider your house rent-free."

"And, your honour--and--"

But Walter was already in a brisk trot; and the remaining petitions of
the Corporal died in empty air.

"A good day's work, too," muttered Jacob, hobbling homeward. "What a
green un 'tis still! Never be a man of the world--augh!"

For two hours Walter did not relax the rapidity of his pace; and when he
did so at the descent of a steep hill, a small country town lay before
him, the sun glittering on its single spire, and lighting up the long,
clean, centre street, with the good old-fashioned garden stretching
behind each house, and detached cottages around, peeping forth here and
there from the blossoms and verdure of the young may. He rode into the
yard of the principal inn, and putting up his horse, inquired in a
tone that he persuaded himself was the tone of indifference, for Miss
Lester's house.

"John," said the landlady, (landlord there was none,) summoning a little
boy of about ten years old--"run on, and shew this gentleman the good
lady's house: and--stay--his honour will excuse you a moment--just take
up the nosegay you cut for her this morning: she loves flowers. Ah! Sir,
an excellent young lady is Miss Lester," con