her appearance with joy.

"Nay, to be sure!" she repeated; "are ye Lot's wife? or has t' lads,
young monkeys, planted a snow man at my door? Here, bide a bit while I
brush ye down, an' then come inside wi' ye."

I laughed, and submitted to the operation, vigorously performed in the
street, and then followed my rescuer indoors.

All my explanations were greeted with the same expressive utterance.
"To be sures" came as thickly as currants in a Yorkshire tea-cake. We
were unknown to each other by sight--for I was now, I found, in
Marsland Gap, with the valley between me and Windyridge--but my fame
had preceded me.

"Well, to be sure! So you're t' young lady what takes fotygraphs up at
Windyridge. Why, bless ye, I can show ye t' very house ye live in, an'
t' glass place where I reckon ye take yer fotygraphs from this window
in t' scullery. Nay, to be sure! it's that wild ye cannot see an arm's
length. Well, well, let's hev yer wet things off, for ye're fair
steamin' afore that fire."

I protested in vain. My hat and coat had already been removed, and now
my hostess insisted that my dress skirt should be hung upon the
clothes-horse to dry. Oh, Rose, Rose! what would you not have given to
see me ten minutes later clad in a garment which was reasonable enough
as to length, but which had to be pinned in a great overlapping fold
half round my body? I looked at myself and roared, whilst the owner of
the dress shook her sides with merriment. All the same, I had found
the inn of the Good Samaritan, and my stay there did not even cost me
the two pence of the story.

What do you think we had for tea? Muffins, toasted cheese, home-made
jam and "spice cake"! I helped to "wash-up," and as the storm
continued with unabated fury I resigned myself cheerfully to the snug
rocking-chair and the glowing hearth. Thoughts of Mother Hubbard's
anxiety worried me a little, but I hoped she would realise that I had
found shelter.

"You have not told me your name yet," I began, when we were comfortably
settled, I with my hands idle upon my lap, and she with a heap of
"mending" upon her knee.

"Well, to be sure! so I haven't," she replied. "Maria Robertsha' 's my
name, an' it's a name I'm noan ashamed on. Not but what I'd change it
if someb'dy 'ud give me a better. It's all right livin' by yerself if
ye can't 'elp it; an' to be sure, when ye live by yerself ye know what
comp'ny ye keep; but them can 'ave it 'at likes for me."