s little regard to this admonitory cough, as to the significant
gesture that had preceded it, the stranger pursued his questioning.

'I turned out of my way coming here, and took the footpath that crosses
the grounds. Who was the young lady that I saw entering a carriage? His
daughter?'

'Why, how should I know, honest man?' replied Joe, contriving in the
course of some arrangements about the hearth, to advance close to his
questioner and pluck him by the sleeve, 'I didn't see the young lady,
you know. Whew! There's the wind again--AND rain--well it IS a night!'

Rough weather indeed!' observed the strange man.

'You're used to it?' said Joe, catching at anything which seemed to
promise a diversion of the subject.

'Pretty well,' returned the other. 'About the young lady--has Mr
Haredale a daughter?'

'No, no,' said the young fellow fretfully, 'he's a single
gentleman--he's--be quiet, can't you, man? Don't you see this talk is
not relished yonder?'

Regardless of this whispered remonstrance, and affecting not to hear it,
his tormentor provokingly continued:

'Single men have had daughters before now. Perhaps she may be his
daughter, though he is not married.'

'What do you mean?' said Joe, adding in an undertone as he approached
him again, 'You'll come in for it presently, I know you will!'

'I mean no harm'--returned the traveller boldly, 'and have said none
that I know of. I ask a few questions--as any stranger may, and not
unnaturally--about the inmates of a remarkable house in a neighbourhood
which is new to me, and you are as aghast and disturbed as if I were
talking treason against King George. Perhaps you can tell me why, sir,
for (as I say) I am a stranger, and this is Greek to me?'

The latter observation was addressed to the obvious cause of Joe
Willet's discomposure, who had risen and was adjusting his riding-cloak
preparatory to sallying abroad. Briefly replying that he could give him
no information, the young man beckoned to Joe, and handing him a piece
of money in payment of his reckoning, hurried out attended by young
Willet himself, who taking up a candle followed to light him to the
house-door.

While Joe was absent on this errand, the elder Willet and his three
companions continued to smoke with profound gravity, and in a deep
silence, each having his eyes fixed on a huge copper boiler that was
suspended over the fire. After some time John Willet slowly shook his
head, and thereupon his