ladies climbed the hill on Mr. Pope's
arm, and when they were almost abreast of the barrack door, who should
appear at the garden gate, on the opposite side of the road, but Mrs.
Treacher herself? Catching sight of the visitors she halted in startled
fashion, with her hand on the hasp of the gate.

"So few ever walk this way in these times," said Miss Gabriel, "I
declare we have frightened the poor woman. Mrs. Treacher!"--she lifted
her voice as she advanced.

"Ma'am."

"Mrs. Pope and I have been feeling not a little ashamed of ourselves
that at the time we did not--er--recognise your--your kindness to us
the other evening."

"Night, to be accyrate," said Mrs. Treacher, still interposing her
ample body between them and the entrance to the garden. "Didn't you?"

"You put yourself to some inconvenience on our account," pursued Miss
Gabriel; "and--and if you won't mind accepting--" Miss Gabriel held out
the smaller coin by way of finishing the sentence.

"What's that for?" asked Mrs. Treacher.

"The circumstances were so unusual, and in a way--ha, ha!--so
amusing----"

"Oh!" Mrs. Treacher interrupted. "Unusual, was they? I'm glad to hear
it."

"Why, of course, they were unusual," Miss Gabriel persisted, albeit a
trifle dashed; "and indeed so incredibly absurd that we have brought
Mr. Pope to hear your account of them; for, I assure you, he'll hardly
believe us."

Mrs. Treacher looked at Mr. Pope solemnly for the space of about ten
seconds, and then as solemnly at the ladies.

"_What_ won't he believe?"

"Why"--Miss Gabriel plucked up her courage--"there was so much that
afterwards, when we came to compare notes, neither of us could
explain--as, for instance, who was the strange lady that walked into
the room and was evidently surprised to see us, as we were naturally
surprised to see her-----"

Mrs. Treacher turned slowly again to Mr. Pope, whose face (since this
was the first he had heard of any strange lady) expressed no small
astonishment.

"Poor man!" she murmured, sympathetically, "did they really go so far
as all that?"

"I assure you--" began Mrs. Pope stammering.

"Oh, go your ways and take 'em home!" cut in Mrs. Treacher. "I'm a
friend to my sex in most matters; but to come askin' me to back up such
a tale as that, and for a shillin'!" She turned her palm over and let
the coin drop on the soil at her feet.

But here unhappily, at the height of Mrs. Treacher's indignation, a
sneeze sounded