can't stop out long to-night," Molly explained, taking the
rebuke to refer altogether to her bad grammar.

"You may go in when you please, miss. Is that any one coming? Come here
in the shade."

"Now, get along!" said Miss Molly.

Adrian spoke with resolution. "Listen to me, Molly Davenport!" He put
a coin in her hand, which had a medical effect in calming her to
attention. "I want to know whether you have seen him at all?"

"Who? Your young gentleman? I sh'd think I did. I seen him to-night
only. Ain't he grooved handsome. He's al'ays about Beltharp now. It
ain't to fire no more ricks. He's afire 'unself. Ain't you seen 'em
together? He's after the missis"--

Adrian requested Miss Davenport to be respectful, and confine herself
to particulars. This buxom lass then told him that her young missis and
Adrian's young gentleman were a pretty couple, and met one another every
night. The girl swore for their innocence.

"As for Miss Lucy, she haven't a bit of art in her, nor have he."

"They're all nature, I suppose," said Adrian. "How is it I don't see her
at church?"

"She's Catholic, or some think," said Molly. "Her father was, and a
leftenant. She've a Cross in her bedroom. She don't go to church. I see
you there last Sunday a-lookin' so solemn," and Molly stroked her hand
down her chin to give it length.

Adrian insisted on her keeping to facts. It was dark, and in the dark he
was indifferent to the striking contrasts suggested by the lass, but
he wanted to hear facts, and he again bribed her to impart nothing
but facts. Upon which she told him further, that her young lady was an
innocent artless creature who had been to school upwards of three years
with the nuns, and had a little money of her own, and was beautiful
enough to be a lord's lady, and had been in love with Master Richard
ever since she was a little girl. Molly had got from a friend of hers
up at the Abbey, Mary Garner, the housemaid who cleaned Master Richard's
room, a bit of paper once with the young gentleman's handwriting,
and had given it to her Miss Lucy, and Miss Lucy had given her a gold
sovereign for it--just for his handwriting! Miss Lucy did not seem happy
at the farm, because of that young Tom, who was always leering at her,
and to be sure she was quite a lady, and could play, and sing, and dress
with the best.

"She looks like angels in her nightgown!" Molly wound up.

The next moment she ran up close, and speaking for the first ti