tayed at
home to answer inquiries.

The gentleman was requested to dismount, and walk in. Mrs. Crane
received him in the inn parlour, which swarmed with flies. She stood in
the centre,--vigilant, grim spider of the place.

"I c-ca-call," said the gentleman, stammering fearfully, in
con--consequence of a b-b-bill--I--ch-chanced to see in my ri-ri-ri-ride
yesterday--on a wa-wa-wall. You-you, I--sup-sup--"

"Am X. X.," put in Mrs. Crane, growing impatient, "one of the friends of
Mr. Waife, by whom the handbill has been circulated; it will indeed be
a great relief to us to know where they are,--the little girl more
especially."

Mrs. Crane was respectably dressed,--in silk iron-gray; she had crisped
her flaky tresses into stiff hard ringlets, that fell like long screws
from under a black velvet band. Mrs. Crane never wore a cap, nor could
you fancy her in a cap; but the velvet band looked as rigid as if
gummed to a hoop of steel. Her manner and tone of voice were those of
an educated person, not unused to some society above the vulgar; and yet
the visitor, in whom the reader recognizes the piscatorial Oxonian,
with whom Waife had interchanged philosophy on the marge of the running
brooklet, drew back as she advanced and spoke; and, bent on an errand of
kindness, he was seized with a vague misgiving.

MRS. CRANE (blandly).--"I fear they must be badly off. I hope they
are not wanting the necessaries of life. But pray be seated, sir." She
looked at him again, and with more respect in her address than she
had before thrown into it, added, with a half courtesy, as she seated
herself by his side, "A clergyman of the Established Church, I presume,
sir?"

OXONIAN (stammer, as on a former occasion, respectfully omitted).--"With
this defect, ma'am!--But to the point. Some days ago I happened to fall
in with an elderly person, such as is described, with a very pretty
female child and a French dog. The man--gentleman, perhaps I may call
him, judging from his conversation--interested me much; so did the
little girl. And if I could be the means of directing real friends
anxious to serve them--"

Mrs. CRANE.--"You would indeed be a benefactor. And where are they now,
sir?"

OXONIAN.--"That I cannot positively tell you. But before I say more,
will you kindly satisfy my curiosity? He is perhaps an eccentric
person,--this Mr. Waife?--a little--" The Oxonian stopped, and touched
his forehead. Mrs. Crane made no prompt reply: she wa