f you like. I'm going to sit beside Mr.
Dixon."

Dixon was the coachman, and a formidable rival in Tom's eyes.

"I thought, perhaps, as you'd come along of me. I'm drivin' the cart
back for Berry, as he had a message in the village. I've not seen you
for such a time, Rose."

"Come with you!" said Rose, with a toss of her head. "The ladies would
not like it; besides, we shall meet sure enough some day soon. I
mustn't wait a minute longer. You need not help me unless you like."

But poor Tom, under the pretext of making some inquiry about the
luggage, managed to be near so as to hand up Rose to her seat by the
coachman, who appeared far more absorbed in the management of his
horses than in the young woman who sat by him, upon whom he did not
bestow even a glance, preserving a perfectly imperturbable countenance.

"He's pretending! just pretending--the scamp!" said Tom, under his
breath, turning back to his horse and cart.

A strange man stood near stroking the animal's head and keeping a light
hand on its bridle. He wore a loosely fitting brown suit, and the hand
that caressed the horse was almost as brown as his clothes. His head
was closely cropped and his face clean-shaven, showing the clear-cut,
decided mouth and chin, and the white, even teeth displayed by the
smile with which he greeted Tom.

"You may be glad I was at hand or your cart with its cargo of luggage
would have been upset in the road," he said. "It's not a wise thing to
leave a creature like this standing alone when a train is starting off."

A quick retort was on the tip of Tom's tongue; he had no fancy for
being called to account by a perfect stranger, but, although the words
sounded authoritative, the tone was good-humoured.

"Thank you, I only left him for a moment; he stands quiet enough as a
rule," he said, taking the bridle into his hand.

The stranger picked up the small portmanteau he had set down in the
road, and prepared to walk off, then turned half-hesitatingly back to
Tom.

"Can you tell me where I can get a night or two's lodging? It does not
much matter where it is as long as it is clean and quiet."

Tom took off his cap and rubbed his head thoughtfully.

"Mrs. Lake's a wonderful good sort of woman."

"And who may Mrs. Lake be?" inquired the stranger, pleasantly.

"She keeps the Blue Dragon, but I couldn't say as it's exactly quiet of
a Saturday night. She don't allow no swearin' on her premises, but
some of th