she made no move now. The woman with
the skein appeared, on the contrary, as eager to see as the other seemed
indifferent. I had to buy something and I did so in as matter-of-fact
a way as possible, considering that my attention was more given to the
woman in the rear than to the articles I was purchasing.

"You have a very convenient place here," I casually remarked, as I
handed out my money. With this I turned squarely about and looked
directly at her whom I believed to be Bess.

A voluble answer from the woman at my side, but not the wink of an eye
from the one whose attention I had endeavored to attract.

"I live in the house opposite," I carelessly went on, taking in every
detail of the strange being I was secretly addressing.

"Oh!" she exclaimed in startled tones, roused into speech at last. "You
live opposite; in Mayor Packard's house?"

I approached her, smiling. She had dropped her hands from her chin and
seemed very eager now, more eager than the other woman, to interest me
in what she had about her and so hold me to the shop.

"Look at this," she cried, holding up an article of such cheap
workmanship that I wondered so sensible an appearing woman would cumber
her shelves with it. "I am glad you live over there," for I had nodded
to her question. "I'm greatly interested in that house. I've worked
there as cook and waitress several times."

I met her look; it was sharp and very intelligent.

"Then you know its reputation," I laughingly suggested.

She made a contemptuous gesture. The woman was really very good-looking,
but baffling in her manner, as Mr. Robinson had said, and very hard to
classify. "That isn't what interests me," she protested. "I've other
reasons. You're not a relative of the family, are you?" she asked
impetuously, leaning over the table to get a nearer view of my face.

"No, nor even a friend. I am in their employ just now as a companion to
Mrs. Packard. Her health is not very good, and the mayor is away a great
deal."

"I thought you didn't belong there. I know all who belong there. I've
little else to do but stare across the street," she added apologetically
and with a deep flush. "Business is very poor in this shop."

I was standing directly in front of her. Turning quickly about, I looked
through the narrow panes of the door, and found that my eyes naturally
rested on the stoop of the opposite house. Indeed, this stoop was about
all that could be seen from the spot where th