152 BEATING THE SPRINGS AND THE WOOD. 



" I hope the c old woman ' and you are 

 getting on well, Mr. Staunton. You see I 

 have waited all this while to surprise you." 



I scarce knew what to say. The explanation 

 of the mystery was simple enough. Instead of 

 pointing to one of her own boxes to direct 

 me to an address, she had shown me a trunk 

 which did not belong to her at all. 



"And then you know, when you told me 

 what you were going to do, I knew all about it, 

 and wanted to have some fun with you when I 

 came home." 



Upon reaching the house, I was still con- 

 fused, and felt an odd feeling of regret and 

 pleasure. Mrs. Brady kissed her daughter 

 affectionately, and I took my leave. I passed 

 over the little bridge leading into the town 

 on the way to my lodgings. Without being 

 much of a poet or a mooner, I have a con- 

 stant hankering after scenery. I could not 

 help lingering on the bridge of planks to 

 look at the shining stream passing off into 

 the dark under a curve of low hills, and I 

 began to regret my promise to Mrs. Brady. 



Mrs. Brady was good enough to express the 



