r say to me here?"

"No, sir. I was coming----"

"To see me, I hope?"

"No, sir," said Norton, growing desperate and colouring, which he was
very unapt to do. "If you please, Mr. Richmond, I was sent to speak
to--I forget what her name is--the woman who lives here."

"Miss Redwood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Who sent you?"

"Matilda Englefield."

"Did she? Pray why did not Matilda come with you?"

"She could not, sir; she was very busy. She asked me to come."

"You can see Miss Redwood," said Mr. Richmond, smiling. "I believe she
is always ready to receive visitors; at least I never saw a time when
she was not. You have only to walk right in and knock at her door
there. When are you coming to see _me_, Norton? You and I ought to be
better friends."

"I don't know, sir," said Norton. "I would not intrude."

"Ask your friend Matilda if I do not like such intrusions. I shall have
to invite you specially, I see. Well, go in and find Miss Redwood. I
will not detain you now."

Norton went in, glad to be released, for he did not exactly want to
tell his errand to the minister, knocked at the kitchen door and was
bade to enter. It was full, the kitchen was, of the sweet smell of
baking bread; and Miss Redwood was busily peering into her stove oven.

"Who's there?" she asked, too much engaged in turning her loaves to
give her eyes to anything else, even a visitor. Norton told his name,
and waited till the oven doors shut to with a clang; and then Miss
Redwood, very pink in the face, rose up to look at him.

"I've seen you before," was her remark.

"Yes. I brought Matilda Englefield here one day," Norton answered.

"H'm. I thought she brought you. What brings you now?"

"Matilda wanted me to come with a message to you."

"Well, you can sit down and tell it, if you're a mind to. Why didn't
the child come herself? that's the first idee that comes to me."

"She is busy trying to nurse some sick folks, and they are more than
she can manage, and she wants your help. At least, she sent me to ask
you if you wouldn't come."

"Who's ill?"

"Some people just come from Switzerland to be my mother's servants."

"Switzerland," repeated Miss Redwood. "I have heard o' Switzerland,
more than once in my life. I should like to know whereabouts it is. I
never knew any one yet that could tell me."

"Mr. Richmond knows, I suppose," said Norton.

"I suppose he knows Greek," said Miss Redwood, "and ever so many other
queer tongues