s there's anything that she wants at present."

"Take the purse," said Flossy impatiently; "and then go away and come
back when I ring. I won't have my hair brushed just now. Is Miss Vane
better?"

"Yes, ma'am--she's better now." And Parker went away, knowing very well
that she had been bribed to hold her tongue.

But after that interview she noticed that Enid seemed to recover tone
and strength, that for a few succeeding days she was more like herself
than she had been of late, and that the symptoms of faintness and
palpitation which she had mentioned to Mr. Ingledew disappeared. Parker
nodded mysteriously as she remarked on these facts to herself, and
thought that for once her interference had had a good effect.

She had lately found less to report concerning Miss Vane's movements
than before Mr. Lepel's visit; for Enid's ministrations amongst the poor
had been almost entirely brought to a close, on the ground that close
cottages and the sight of suffering must necessarily be bad for her
health. Accordingly she had gone less and less to the village, and had
seen almost nothing of Mr. Evandale. Parker, being thus less often "on
duty," found more time than usual for her own various scraps of
business, and took occasion one evening to run out to the post-office
when all the family were at dinner; and while at the post-office she
noticed a stranger in the village street--a highly respectable,
venerable-looking old man with picturesque white hair and beard.

"That's Mr. Dare, who's a-stayin' at the inn," said the postmistress to
Parker, who was a person of considerable importance in village eyes.
"Such a nice old gentleman! He comes from America, where they say he's
made a fortune, and he's very liberal with his money."

So good a character interested Parker at once in Mr. Dare. She felt
quite flattered when, in passing down the lane, she was accosted by the
gentleman in question, who pulled off his hat to her politely, and asked
her whether she could tell him if Mr. Lepel was likely to visit
Beechfield Hall in the course of a week or two.

"Let me see," said Parker. "Why, yes, sir--I heard yesterday that he was
coming down next Saturday, just for a day or two, you know."

"I used to know a Mr. Lepel once," said the stranger, "and he did me a
kindness. If this is the same, I'd like to thank him before I go. I
heard him mentioned up at the 'Crown' yonder and wondered whether I
could find out."

"I dare say it's th