e the pair with their conversation, that Master Cale, bethinking
him of an old friend hard by, with whom he liked to exchange a
friendly word from time to time, bid them walk up and down the
street together for a brief time, until he should pay his visit and
join them again.

This suited the young people very well, and they exchanged a good
many confidences together. Tom told her of his home at Gablehurst,
and of his mother and sister, and the father who was gone; and she
told him of her quiet life in her aunt's house, and how she would
so greatly like to remain always with her father, and watch the
life of this wonderful city.

But Tom could well understand how the perruquier would shrink from
permitting his innocent and pretty daughter to dwell beneath his
roof. His trade brought thither all manner of fine dandies and
young bloods, and if it were known that there was a pretty maiden
within doors, there would be no end to their attempts to get sight
of or speech with her; and any girl's head might be turned by the
flowery nonsense that would be spoken and written to her.

"Believe me, you are better where you are, Mistress Rosy," answered
Tom. "I would not have my sister Rachel here, now that I have seen
what London is like. It is a place for men to see at least once in
their lives; but women are better away from it. I looked about at
the painted faces, the towering heads, and the huge hoops the other
night, and I said to myself, that if my mother or sister were to
make of themselves such objects as that, I should be ready to sink
into the ground for shame--to say nothing of the ogling, and fan
tapping, and silly jargon of talk which would put a chattering
monkey to shame!"

If Tom was quoting Lord Claud's moralizings, he quoted them in all
good faith; for he had been honestly disgusted by the glimpses he
had had of the goings on of fine ladies in their houses, and could
better appreciate the simplicity and true affection of his own
womankind than he had ever done before.

At this moment there smote upon his ears the unwelcome sound of
mocking laughter that seemed familiar to him.

"Ho, ho, ho! So the country bumpkin has found a mistress already!
So he has had to leave the fine ladies, and mate with one of his
own sort after all! Ho, ho, ho! She has a neat foot and ankle, at
any rate! Let us see what sort of a face there is under the crimson
hood!"

Tom felt the girl's hand clutch fast hold of his arm, and hi