d slowly over what seemed more like a rising than a depression in her
ample figure. "But there! I've not been myself since the Lord took old
Samiwell Price, and that's the truth."

Samuel Price was the relation who had entered into rest off a ladder,
and Ruth looked duly serious.

"I have no doubt it upset you very much," she said.

"Well, miss," returned Mrs. Eccles, with dignity, "it's not as if I'd
had my 'ealth before. I've had something wrong in the cistern" (Ruth
wondered whether she meant system) "these many years. From a gell I
suffered in my inside. But lor'! I was born to trouble, baptized in a
bucket, and taken with collects at a week old. And how did you say Mrs.
Cotton of the lodge might be, miss, as I hear is but poorly too?"

Ruth replied that she was better.

"She's no size to keep her in 'ealth," said Mrs. Eccles, "and so bent as
she does grow, to be sure. Eh, dear, but it's a good thing to be tall. I
always think little folks they're like them little watches, they've no
room for their insides. And I wonder now"--Mrs. Eccles was coming to the
point that had made her entrap Ruth on her way past--"I wonder now--"

Ruth did not help her. She knew too well the universal desire for
knowledge of good and evil peculiar to her sex to doubt for a moment
that Mrs. Eccles had begged her to "step in" only to obtain some piece
of information, about which her curiosity had been aroused.

"I wonder, now, if Cotton at the lodge has heard anything of the
poachers again this year, round Arleigh way?"

"Not that I know of," said Ruth, surprised at the simplicity of the
question.

"Dear sakes! and to think of 'em at Vandon last night, and Mr. Dare and
the keepers out all night after 'em."

Ruth was interested in spite of herself.

"And the doctor sent for in the middle of the night," continued Mrs.
Eccles, covertly eying Ruth. "Poor young gentleman! For all his forrin
ways, there's a many in Vandon as sets store by him."

"I don't think you need be uneasy about Mr. Dare," said Ruth, coldly,
conscious that Mrs. Eccles was dying to see her change color. "If
anything had happened to him Mr. Alwynn would have heard of it. And
now," rising, "I must be going; and if I were you, Mrs. Eccles, I should
not listen to all the gossip of the village."

"Me listen!" said Mrs. Eccles, much offended. "Me, as is too poorly so
much as to put my foot out of the door! But, dear heart!" with her usual
quickness of vision, "if th