r we are on the move again the better I
shall be pleased. The fodder is odious, not fit for a pig, and the
wine is ditto. What wouldn't I give for a pint of Bass like they
draw at the Blue Boar? Old England for me is my motto!

"And now to biz! So far all's well. I'm on the right tack and no
mistake. We got here middle day, yesterday--came over the hills
from the railway in a regular old bone-shaker of a coach. My
tourist get-up is quite the fig, and though I caught Mr. M----
eyeing me over a bit supercilious like once, he didn't recognize me
if ever he did see me down at Thurwell Court, which I don't think
he did. Well, directly we got here, off started Mr. M---- through
the town, and after a bit I followed. Lord! it was hot and no
mistake, but he didn't seem to notice it, though the perspiration
was streaming down my back like anything. About a mile out of town
we came to a great high wall with a door in it, and before I could
say 'Jack Robinson' or get anywhere near him, in he went. Well, I
hung round a bit, and soon I found a sort of opening in the wall
where I could just see in, and there he was sitting down on a seat
in a regular howling wilderness of a garden, as though the whole
place belonged to him, if you please. All right! I thought, I'm
agreeable to a rest, and I sat down too, little thinking what was
in store for me. Four mortal hours passed before he stirred, and
jolly stiff and tired I was, I can tell you. But it was a lucky
thing for me all the same, for when he got up and made for the
house it was almost dark, so without more ado I just opened the
door and walked in myself. There was no end of shrubs and trees
about the place, and though I followed him on another path only a
few yards away, he couldn't see me, and there was no chance of his
hearing, for the moss had grown over the gravel like a blooming
carpet, which was all lucky for me again.

"Well, we were just close to the house, when we both of us got a
start, and I nearly yelled out. Round the corner of his path, thank
goodness! came a tall, white-haired old lady, in a long black
dress, with an ivory cross hanging down, and looking as dignified
as possible. She no sooner saw him than she stopped and cried out,
'Bernard! Bernard!' and seemed as though she were going to faint