we'd been cast away of a desert island, as I've been
feeling afore yo' come. Eh, but it is a town, is this!"

"Charity, I wonder how you won in the house," said Edith. "My Lord
Oxford--"

"I've got a bit more gumption, Mrs Edith, than you credit me with. I
brought a letter to my Lord, or I should ne'er ha' looked to get in
else."

"A letter!--from whom?"

"Fro' Mrs Joyce Morrell, to tell him who I were, and a bit more, I
reckon."

"I asked my Lord Oxford of his goodness to speak to some upholder
[upholsterer] to send in a little necessary furnishing," said Lady
Louvaine, looking round, "such as were strictly needful, and should last
us till we could turn us about: but methinks he hath done somewhat more
than that."

"You'll turn you round middling easy, Madam," answered Charity. "Th'
upholder were bidden to put th' house to rights all through, and send
the bill to Mistress Joyce. She gave me lodging fro' Setterday to
Monday, and bade me see to 't that yo' had all things comfortable.
`Don't split sixpences,' she saith; `the bigger the charges the better,
so long as they be for true comfort and not for gimcracks.' So, Madam,
I hope we've hit your Ladyship's liking, for me and Mrs Joyce, we tried
hard--me at choosing, and she at paying. So that's how it were."

And dropping a quick courtesy, Charity departed with too much alacrity
for thanks.

Lady Louvaine's eyes followed her.

"The lines are fallen unto us in pleasant places," quoted Edith, softly.

"Ay," answered her mother. "And the pillar of the cloud hath gone
before."

Charity found Rachel in the kitchen, carrying a carpet-bag and a great
bundle, and gazing round her with a bewildered air.

"Well, lass, what's ta'en thee?" was her greeting.

"Eh, Charity Ashworth, is that thee? Where art thou fro'?"

"Where are we both come to? That's more to th' purpose."

"I'm banished my country, that's all I know," said Rachel, blankly.
"I'm glad to see thee, schuzheaw." [Note 2.]

"Dost thou mean to carry yon for th' rest o' thy life?" demanded
Charity, laying hands on the carpet-bag. "Come, wake up, lass, and look
sharp, for there'll be some supper wanted."

A very expressive shake of Rachel's head was the response. But she set
down the bundle, and began to unfasten her sleeves for work. Sleeves
were not then stitched to the gown, but merely hooked or buttoned in,
and were therefore easily laid aside when needful.

"What's the price o' egg