ould stand beside me, and looked from
the window with her bony arm round my waist, and my reluctant hand drawn
round in hers; and thus she would smile, and talk affectionately and even
playfully; for at times she would grow quite girlish, and smile with
her great carious teeth, and begin to quiz and babble about the young
'faylows,' and tell bragging tales of her lovers, all of which were
dreadful to me.

She was perpetually recurring, too, to the charming walk we had had
together to Church Scarsdale, and proposing a repetition of that delightful
excursion, which, you may be sure, I evaded, having by no means so
agreeable a recollection of our visit.

One day, as I was dressing to go out for a walk, in came good Mrs. Rusk,
the housekeeper, to my room.

'Miss Maud, dear, is not that too far for you? It is a long walk to Church
Scarsdale, and you are not looking very well.'

'To Church Scarsdale?' I repeated; 'I'm not going to Church Scarsdale; who
said I was going to Church Scarsdale? There is nothing I should so much
dislike.'

'Well, I never!' exclaimed she. 'Why, there's old Madame's been down-stairs
with me for fruit and sandwiches, telling me you were longing to go to
Church Scarsdale----'

'It's quite untrue,' I interrupted. 'She knows I hate it.'

'She does?' said Mrs. Rusk, quietly; 'and you did not tell her nothing
about the basket? Well--if there isn't a story! Now what may she be
after--what is it--what _is_ she driving at?'

'I can't tell, but I won't go.'

'No, of course, dear, you won't go. But you may be sure there's some scheme
in her old head. Tom Fowkes says she's bin two or three times to drink tea
at Farmer Gray's--now, could it be she's thinking to marry him?' And Mrs.
Rusk sat down and laughed heartily, ending with a crow of derision.

'To think of a young fellow like that, and his wife, poor thing, not dead a
year--maybe she's got money?'

'I don't know--I don't care--perhaps, Mrs. Rusk, you mistook Madame. I will
go down; I am going out.'

Madame had a basket in her hand. She held it quietly by her capacious
skirt, at the far side, and made no allusion to the preparation, neither to
the direction in which she proposed walking, and prattling artlessly and
affectionately she marched by my side.

Thus we reached the stile at the sheep-walk, and then I paused.

'Now, Madame, have not we gone far enough in this direction?--suppose we
visit the pigeon-house in the park?'

'Wat folly!