ee the girls before
they--he and Patty--set forward for London. He overtook them at
Lincoln, and had Mrs. Taylor, Emily, Kezzy, with the rest, to
supper with him at the Angel. On Monday they breakfasted with
him; then they parted, expecting to see him no more till they
came to London, but on Wednesday he sent his man to invite them
to supper at night. On Thursday he invited them to dinner, at
night to supper, and on Friday morning to breakfast, when he
took his leave of them and rode for London. They got into town
on Saturday about noon, and that evening Patty writ me an
account of her journey.

Dear Jackey, I can't stay now to talk about Hetty, but this-I
hope better of her than some others do. I pray God to bless
you. Adieu.
S. W.

Hetty had been warned that her uncle and Patty would arrive on the
Saturday. She did not expect them before evening; nevertheless, in
the forenoon she sallied out, and stopping in the market on her way
to buy a large bunch of roses, walked to Johnson's Court, where the
door was opened to her by her own cook-maid--a fearless, middle-aged
Scotswoman who did not mind inhabiting an empty house, and whom she
had sent to Uncle Matthew on the eve of his departure, as well to get
her out of the way as to relieve him of his search for a carekeeper.

Janet noted that her mistress's face was pale and her eyes
unnaturally bright with want of sleep, but held her tongue, being
ever a woman of few words. Together the two dressed the table and
set out the cold viands in case the travellers should arrive in time
for dinner. The rest of the meal would be sent in at a few minutes'
notice from the tavern at the entrance of the court.

Having seen to these preparations and paid a visit of inspection to
the bedrooms, she set out on her way back to Frith Street just as St.
Dunstan's clock was striking eleven. She left, promising Janet to
return before nightfall.

Night was dusking down upon the narrow court as she entered it again
out of the rattle of Fleet Street. She had lost her springy gait,
and dragged her legs heavily under the burden of the unborn child and
a strain which during the past four or five days had become a
physical torture. She came out of her own thoughts with an effort,
to wonder if the travellers had arrived.

Her eyes went up to the windows of Uncle Matthew's parlour: