But the fact is that I find myself in a very--Well, I do not know what to say about it.

You are the school-teacher at Walford, are you not ?" This question surprised me, and I assented quickly, wondering what would come next.
"I thought so," she said.

"I have seen you on the road on your wheel, and some one told me who you were.

And now, since you have been so kind to me, I am going to tell you exactly why I cannot ask you to stop at our house.

Everything is all wrong there to-day, and if I don't explain what has happened, you might think that things are worse than they really are, and I wouldn't want anybody to think that." [Illustration: "THE RAIN WAS COMING DOWN HARD"] I listened with great attention, for I saw that she was anxious to free herself of the imputation of being inhospitable, and although the heavy rain and my rapid pace made it sometimes difficult to catch her words, I lost very little of her story.
"You see," said she, "my father is very fond of gardening, and he takes great pride in his vegetables, especially the early ones.