A STRANGE VISITOR. 47 



at the door. I took the light, and had 

 hardly turned the lock and handle, when 

 open it blew, out went the candle, and in 

 came, with the wind and rain, a young lady, 

 asking shelter. We soon had her in by the 

 fire ; and, poor thing, what a figure so wet 

 and so draggled ! With it all, she put on 

 a deal of airs, and talked about being used 

 to ride in a carriage, not being used to get 

 wet, and the like. My wife gave me a hint, 

 and so I took my lantern, put on my coat, 

 and off into the houses to see all right, as 

 every gardener should do before he goes to 

 bed. A drop of candle - grease here and 

 there, now and then, always pleased me 

 when I saw it in a morning, as it showed 

 my foreman had had a look-out for a slug or 

 something the evening before. Well, the 

 rain cleared off and the moon shone out; 

 and when I got in-doors again the lady was 

 gone. 



" Poor thing," said my wife, " she's the 

 governess at the Grange House, and been 

 brought up a lady, and yet she's so thin of 

 clothes, and so proud, I could hardly get her 

 to put on my thick shawl and a pair of my 

 shoes and stockings to go home in, though 



