holiday
for Miss Wilson. At half-past one, luncheon being over, she went out of
doors to a lawn that lay between the southern side of the college and a
shrubbery. Here she found a group of girls watching Agatha and Jane, who
were dragging a roller over the grass. One of them, tossing a ball about
with her racket, happened to drive it into the shrubbery, whence, to the
surprise of the company, Smilash presently emerged, carrying the ball,
blinking, and proclaiming that, though a common man, he had his feelings
like another, and that his eye was neither a stick nor a stone. He
was dressed as before, but his garments, soiled with clay and lime, no
longer looked new.

"What brings you here, pray?" demanded Miss Wilson.

"I was led into the belief that you sent for me, lady," he replied.
"The baker's lad told me so as he passed my 'umble cot this morning. I
thought he were incapable of deceit."

"That is quite right; I did send for you. But why did you not go round
to the servants' hall?"

"I am at present in search of it, lady. I were looking for it when
this ball cotch me here" (touching his eye). "A cruel blow on the hi'
nat'rally spires its vision and expression and makes a honest man look
like a thief."

"Agatha," said Miss Wilson, "come here."

"My dooty to you, Miss," said Smilash, pulling his forelock.

"This is the man from whom I had the five shillings, which he said you
had just given him. Did you do so?"

"Certainly not. I only gave him threepence."

"But I showed the money to your ladyship," said Smilash, twisting his
hat agitatedly. "I gev it you. Where would the like of me get five
shillings except by the bounty of the rich and noble? If the young
lady thinks I hadn't ort to have kep' the tother 'arfcrown, I would not
object to its bein' stopped from my wages if I were given a job of work
here. But--"

"But it's nonsense," said Agatha. "I never gave you three half-crowns."

"Perhaps you mout 'a' made a mistake. Pence is summat similar to
'arf-crowns, and the day were very dark."

"I couldn't have," said Agatha. "Jane had my purse all the earlier
part of the week, Miss Wilson, and she can tell you that there was only
threepence in it. You know that I get my money on the first of every
month. It never lasts longer than a week. The idea of my having seven
and sixpence on the sixteenth is ridiculous."

"But I put it to you, Miss, ain't it twice as ridiculous for me, a poor
laborer, to give up mon