de of the study door saying that
he was not to be disturbed till five o'clock, and it was a lovely
afternoon. The sort of afternoon when late March holds all the promise
of May, when early daffodils shine splendidly in sheltered corners, and
late snowdrops in a country garden look quite large and solemn. When
trodden grass has a sweet sharp smell, and all sorts of pretty things
peep from the crannies of old Cotswold walls: those loose grey walls
that are so infinitely various, so dear and friendly in their constant
beautiful surprises.

Mary saw the nursery party go, and stood and waved to them till they
were out of sight, when a faint and distant summons to the cook-house
door proved that Ger had begun to play the instant the bucket had
turned out of the gates.

Mary called Parker and went out.

Down the drive she went, through the great gates and over the bridge to
Willets' cottage. Willets was out, but Mrs Willets was delighted to
see her. Mrs Willets was a kind, comfortable person, who brewed
excellent home-made wines which she loved to bestow upon her friends.
Mary partook of a glass of ginger wine, very strong and very gingery,
and having given the latest news of the mistress (she, herself, was
"our young lady" now), received in return the mournful intelligence
that Miss Gallup had had a touch of bronchitis, "reely downright bad
she'd bin, and now she was about but weak as a kitten, and very low in
her mind; if you'd the time just to call in and see 'er, I'm sure she'd
take it very kind, with your ma away, and all."

So Mary hied her to Miss Gallup at the other end of Redmarley's one
long lopsided street. Her progress was a slow one, for at every
cottage gate she was stopped with exclamations: "Why we thought you was
lost, or gone to furrin parts with the mistress; none on us seen you
since Church last Sunday."

At last she reached "Two Ways," Miss Gallup's house, and Eloquent, of
all people in the world, opened the door to her.

Mary merely thought "How nice of him to come and see his aunt," and
remarked aloud:

"Ah, Mr Gallup, I'm glad to see you've come to look after the invalid,
I've only just heard of her illness. May I come in? Will it tire her
to see me?"

And Eloquent could find no words to greet her except, "Please step this
way," and he was nevertheless painfully aware that exactly so would he
have addressed her half a dozen years ago had he been leading her to
the haberdashery departme