giving inquisitive folk the _entree_ to your affairs
than by asking questions. Of course there was no reason why they should
stay here after they had successfully traced Keswick to this part of the
country; and every reason, if they wanted to enjoy themselves, why they
should go away. But I can't help being sorry that I did not meet the
young woman, and have an opportunity of paying her for her trouble, and
giving her a few words of advice in regard to her action, or, rather,
non-action in this matter. She has a fine head for business, but I
should like to feel certain that she understands that her business with
me is over."

And he turned his eyes from the glittering cans, and slept.

The next morning, Lawrence Croft rode on to Mrs Keswick's house, and
when he reached the second, or inner gate, he saw, on the other side of
it, an elderly female, wearing a purple sun-bonnet and carrying a purple
umbrella. There was something very eccentric about the garb of this
elderly personage, and many an inexperienced city man would have taken
her for a retired nurse, or some other domestic retainer of the family,
but there was a steadfastness in her gaze, and a fire in her eye, which
indicated to Lawrence that she was one much more accustomed to give
orders than to take them. He raised his hat very politely, and asked if
Mr Keswick was to be found there.

If the commander of the army, about whom Mr Croft had recently been
reading, had beheld in the earlier stages of the battle a strong,
friendly force advancing to his aid, he would not have been more
delighted than Lawrence would have been had he known what a powerful
ally to his cause stood beneath that purple sun-bonnet.

"Do you mean Junius Keswick?" said the old lady.

"Yes, madam," answered Croft.

"He is here, and you will find him at the house."

The gate was partly open, and Lawrence rode in. The old lady stepped
aside to let him pass.

"Do you want to see him on business?" she said. "How did you know he was
here?"

"I inquired at Howlett's, madam."

Mrs Keswick would have liked to ask some further questions, but there
was something about Lawrence's appearance that deterred her.

"You can tie your horse under that tree over there," she said, pointing
to a spot more trampled by hoofs than the old lady wished any other
portion of her house-yard to be.

When Lawrence had tied his bridle to a hook suspended by a strap from
one of the lower branches of the ind