But it doesn't matter to-day.

You're the only transient; that is, that eats here," she added.
I wanted very much to ask something about the lady who had gone to school in Walford, but I thought it would be well to approach that subject by degrees.
"Apparently," said I, "your house is not full." "No," said she, "not at this precise moment of time.

Do you want some more tea ?" The tone in which she said this made me feel sure she was the mother of the boy, and when she had given me the tea, and looked around in a general way to see that I was provided with what else I needed, she left the room.
After supper I looked into the large room where I had registered; it was lighted, and was very comfortably furnished with easy-chairs and a lounge, but it was an extremely lonely place, and, lighting a cigar, I went out for a walk.

It was truly a beautiful country, and, illumined by the sunset sky, with all its forms and colors softened by the growing dusk, it was more charming to me than it had been by daylight.
As I returned to the inn I noticed a man standing at the entrance of a driveway which appeared to lead back to the stable-yards.

"Here is some one who may talk," I thought, and I stopped.
[Illustration: "WENT OUT FOR A WALK"] "This ought to be a good country for sport," I said--"fishing, and that sort of thing." "You're stoppin' here for the night ?" he asked.