ggie has been for
two years with Mrs. Walsham, who is a lady in every way. She is very
fond of the child, and the child is very fond of her. Everyone says she
is an excellent teacher. She would be the very woman to take charge of
her."

"The very thing!" the squire exclaimed, with great satisfaction. "But
she has a school," he went on, his face falling a little, "and there is
a son."

"I have thought of that," the sergeant said. "The school enables them
to live, but it cannot do much more, so that I should think she would
feel no reluctance at giving that up."

"Money would be no object," the squire said. "I am a wealthy man, Mr.
Wilks, and have been laying by the best part of my income for the last
eight years. I would pay any salary she chose, for the comfort of such
an arrangement would be immense, to say nothing of the advantage and
pleasure it would be to the child. But how about the boy?"

"We both owe a good deal to the boy, squire," the sergeant said
gravely, "for if it had not been for him, the child would have been
lost to us."

"So she was telling me last night," the squire said. "And he really
saved her life?"

"He did," the sergeant replied. "But for his pluck and promptitude she
must have been drowned. A moment's hesitation on his part, and nothing
could have saved her."

"I made up my mind last night," the squire said, "to do something for
him. I have seen him before, and was much struck with him."

"Then, in that case, squire, I think the thing could be managed. If the
lad were sent to a good school, his mother might undertake the
management of Aggie. She could either go home of an evening, or sleep
here and shut up her house, as you might arrange with her; living, of
course, at home, when the boy was home for his holidays, and only
coming up for a portion of the day."

"That would be a capital plan," the squire agreed warmly. "The very
thing. I should get off all the bother with strange women, and the
child would have a lady she is already fond of, and who, I have no
doubt, is thoroughly qualified for the work. Nothing could be better. I
will walk down this afternoon and see her myself, and I have no doubt I
shall be able to arrange it.

"And now about yourself--what are your plans?"

"I shall start tomorrow morning on my tramp, as usual," the sergeant
answered quietly; "but I shall take care, in future, that I do not come
with my box within thirty miles or so of Sidmouth. I do not want