mistress gave me leave for another
hour yet."

"Hie thee up, good maid, and so do," replied Mrs Wade cheerily, taking
up a candlestick to light Mr Pulleyne to the room prepared for him,
where, as she knew from past experience, he was very likely to sit at
study till far into the night.

Dorothy lighted another candle, and offered it to Rose.

"See, you'll lack a light," said she.

"Nay, not to find our tongues," answered Rose, smiling.

"Ah, but to put yon children abed. Look you in the closet, Rose, as you
go into the loft, and you'll see a mattress and a roll of blankets, with
a canvas coverlet that shall serve them. You'll turn in with me."

"All right, Doll; I thank you."

"You look weary, Doll," said Elizabeth.

"Weary? Eh, but if you dwelt with our mistress, you'd look weary, be
sure. She's as good a woman as ever trod shoe-leather, only she's so
monstrous sharp. She thinks you can be there and back before you've
fair got it inside your head that you're to go. I marvel many a time
whether the angels 'll fly fast enough to serve her when she gets to
Heaven. Marry come up but they'll have to step out if they do."

Rose laughed, and led the way upstairs, where she had been several times
before.

Inns at that time were built like Continental country inns are now,
round a square space, with a garden inside, and a high archway for the
entrance, so high that a load of hay could pass underneath. There were
no inside stairs, but a flight led up to the second storey from the
courtyard, and a balcony running all round the house gave access to the
bedrooms. Rose, however, went into none of the rooms, but made her way
to one corner, where a second steep flight of stairs ran straight up
between the walls. These the girls mounted, and at the top entered a
low door, which led into a large, low room, lighted by a skylight, and
occupied by little furniture. At the further end was a good-sized bed
covered with a patchwork quilt, but without any hangings--the absence of
these indicating either great poverty or extremely low rank. There was
neither drawers, dressing-table, nor washstand. A large chest beside
the bed held all Dorothy's possessions, and a leaf-table which would let
down was fixed to the wall under a mirror. A form in one corner, and
two stools, made up the rest of the furniture. In a corner close to the
entrance stood another door, which Rose opened after she had set up the
leaf-table and put