Selina s Starling 187 



getting on for forty years old, and I am inclined 

 to think they were not far wrong ; but she was 

 still full of life, and as plucky and hard-working 

 as Selina. 



Twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 

 Fan went up to Northstow with her master (I 

 use the word by courtesy rather than as ex- 

 pressing their real relation to each other) ; she 

 waited patiently at shops and market, had a 

 dinner of hay at an inn, and returned with her 

 little cart laden with parcels, which she had to 

 distribute about the village before she turned in 

 for the night. For many a year she performed 

 these duties, and she was as well known in 

 Northstow as she was in our village. But one 

 day, some ten years ago, Selina's husband fell 

 down suddenly and died ; and then for a short 

 time there was a break in Fan's visits to the 

 market- town. 



When the funeral was over, Selina returned to 

 her solitary home, and busied herself as best she 

 could. The fowls and ducks came trooping 

 around her, anxious to be fed, and anxious for 

 nothing else ; they did not seem in the least to 



