to
attend so genteel and lovely a guest. She asked her if she would have
bread and butter with her tea?

'No. She could not eat.

'They had very good biscuits.

'As she pleased.

'The gentlewoman stept out for some, and returning on a sudden, she
observed the sweet little fugitive endeavouring to restrain a violent
burst of grief to which she had given way in the little interval.

'However, when the tea came, she made the landlady sit down with her,
and asked her abundance of questions, about the villages and roads in
the neighbourhood.

'The gentlewoman took notice to her, that she seemed to be troubled in
mind.

'Tender spirits, she replied, could not part with dear friends without
concern.'

She meant me, no doubt.

'She made no inquiry about a lodging, though by the sequel, thou'lt
observe, that she seemed to intend to go no farther that night than
Hampstead. But after she had drank two dishes, and put a biscuit in
her pocket, [sweet soul! to serve for her supper, perhaps,] she laid
down half-a-crown; and refusing change, sighing, took leave, saying she
would proceed towards Hendon; the distance to which had been one of her
questions.

'They offered to send to know if a Hampstead coach were not to go to
Hendon that evening.

'No matter, she said--perhaps she might meet the chariot.'

Another of her feints, I suppose: for how, or with whom, could any thing
of this sort have been concerted since yesterday morning?

'She had, as the people took notice to one another, something so
uncommonly noble in her air, and in her person and behaviour, that they
were sure she was of quality. And having no servant with her of either
sex, her eyes, [her fine eyes, the gentlewoman called them, stranger as
she was, and a woman!] being swelled and red, they were sure there was an
elopement in the case, either from parents or guardians; for they
supposed her too young and too maidenly to be a married lady; and were
she married, no husband would let such a fine young creature to be
unattended and alone; nor give her cause for so much grief, as seemed to
be settled in her countenance. Then at times she seemed to be so
bewildered, they said, that they were afraid she had it in her head to
make away with herself.

'All these things put together, excited their curiosity; and they engaged
a peery servant, as they called a footman who was drinking with Kit. the
hostler, at the tap-house, to watch all her motions. Thi