ful. "Ay, missis! Their aunt's bringin' of 'em back
to-morrow from Ealing. _I_'ll be glad enough to see 'em, for one."

"And the owld sowl upstairs. Not that I iver set my eyes on her, and
that's the thrruth."

"Old Mother Prichard? Why--that's none so easy to say. So soon as her
swell friends get sick of her, I suppose. She's being cared for, I take
it, at this here country place."

"'Tis a nobleman's sate in the Norruth, they sid. Can ye till the name
of it, to rimimber?" Mrs. Riley had an impression shared by many, that
noblemen's seats are, broadly speaking, in the North. She had no
definite information.

Uncle Mo caught at the chance of warping the name, uncorrected. "It's
the Towels in Rocestershire," said he with effrontery. "Some sort of a
Dook's, good Lard!" Then to change the subject:--"She won't have no
place to come back to, not till Mrs. Burr's out and about again."

"The axidint, at the Hospital. No, indade! And how's the poor woman,
hersilf? It was the blissin' of God she wasn't kilt on the spot!"

"It warn't a bad bit of luck. She'll be out of hospital next week, I'm
told. They're taking their time about it, anyhow! Good-night to ye,
missis! The rain's holdin' off." And Uncle Mo departed. Aunt M'riar had
insisted on his not discontinuing any of his lapses into bachelorhood
proper; which implies pub or club, according to man's degree.

* * * * *

Just a few minutes ago--speaking abreast of the story--Aunt M'riar,
getting ready at last to do a little work after so much tidying up, had
to go to the door to answer a knock. Its responsible agent was Michael,
excited. "It's _him_!" said he. "I seen him myself. Over at Tappingses.
And Mr. Moses, he's a-conversing with Missis Riley next door." He went
on to offer to make an affidavit, as was his practice, not only on the
Testament, but on most any book you could name.

It was not necessary: Aunt M'riar believed him. "You tell him," she
replied, "that Mrs. Prichard's gone away, and no time fixed for coming
back. Then he'll go. If he don't go, and comes along, just you say to
him Mr. Wardle he'll be back in a minute. He'll be only a short time at
The Sun."

"I'll say wotsumever you please, Missis Wardle. Only that won't carry no
weight, not if I says it ever so. He's a sly customer. Here he is
a-coming. Jist past the post!" That is, the one Dave broke his head off.

Aunt M'riar's heart thumped, and she felt sick. "_You_ s