e governess that lives here?'

'A guviness, bless your little heart. There's Miss Tyler in the
village, two mile off--but I don't think much of her. She's too giddy
and smart, and the way she carries on with Dan Somers is the talk of
the place! Are you after having lessons then?'

'Oh no, no, no!' cried Betty eagerly, 'that's why I don't talk about it
to any one; but I should like to see her, for I have a message to give
her. I don't think it can be Miss Tyler; Mother Nestor--I forget the
name, but something like Nestor or Nasher--Mr. Roper called her. She's
old and young together, and very pretty.'

Mrs. Giles laughed. 'Old and young together! I know of nought like
that; when we gets old, youth don't stick to us. Do you think I answer
to that description, Miss Betty?'

'I should say you were very old,' observed Betty reflectively, 'not a
bit young; but I think your red cheeks are very pretty.'

Mrs. Giles laughed again, and Betty left the kitchen saying, 'I'll go
out of doors and look for her; perhaps she'll be coming along the road.'

Into the bright sunshine she went, across a clover field, and out at a
gate into the white, dusty road. She trotted along, picking flowers by
the wayside, and peeping over hedges to look at the tiny lambs or young
foals and heifers sporting on the green grass. Everything was new and
delightful to her; the birds singing, the budding trees, the bright
blue sky, and sweet fresh air, all was filling her little heart with
content and happiness. Wandering on, she kept no reckoning of time or
distance, until she came to a church in the midst of green elms, and
rooks keeping up a perpetual chatteration on the topmost branches of
the trees.

Betty was a little afraid of rooks; they were so big and strong and
black that she feared they would peck her legs; but she was very tired
and warm, and as the church-gate was open she thought she would venture
into the cool shade of the elms inside. Her little steps took her to
the church porch, and finding the door partly open, with a child's
curiosity, she pushed her way in, there to stand with admiring awe in
the cool, quiet atmosphere. It was a pretty old church, with stained
glass windows; and the sun streaming through sent flashing rays of red
and blue, golden and purple, across the old stone walls and oaken seats.

Betty felt she was in another world at once, and the very novelty and
strangeness of her surroundings had a great cha