y in which the stranger had, as it
were, attached himself to him.

"Ah, well! never mind. I'm going to Victoria myself, and when we get
there I'll look up your place and find you your train," said Geoff,
patronizingly.

He had kept looking at the stranger, and as he did so, his misgivings
disappeared.

"He is just a simple country lad," he said to himself. And, indeed, the
young man's blue eyes, fresh complexion, and open expression would have
reassured any but a _most_ suspicious person.

[Illustration: WALKING ALONG BESIDE GEOFF.]

"You're very kind, sir," he replied. "You see, London's a big place, and
country folk feels half stupid-like in it."

"Yes, of course," said Geoff. "For my part, I often wonder any one
that's free to do as they like cares to live in London. You're a great
deal better off in the country."

"There's bads and goods everywhere, I take it, sir," said the young man,
philosophically.

But by this time they had reached the corner where the omnibus started,
and Geoff's attention was directed to hailing the right one. And an
omnibus rattling over London stones is not exactly the place for
conversation, so no more passed between them till they were dropped
within a stone's throw of Victoria Station.

Geoff was beginning to feel very hungry, and almost faint as well as
chilly.

"I say," he said to his companion, "you're not in any very desperate
hurry to get off, are you? For I'm frightfully hungry. You don't mind
waiting while I have some breakfast, do you? I'll look you out your
train for that place as soon as I've had some."

"All right, sir," said the stranger. "If it wouldn't be making too free,
I'd be pleased to join you. But I suppose you'll be going into the
first-class?"

"Oh no," said Geoff. "I don't mind the second-class."

And into the second-class refreshment-room they went. They grew very
friendly over hot coffee and a rasher of bacon, and then Geoff laid out
threepence on a railway guide, and proceeded to hunt up Shalecray.

"Here you are!" he exclaimed. "And upon my word, that's a good joke.
This place--Shalecray--is on the very line I'm going by. I wonder I
never noticed it. I came up that way not long ago, from Entlefield."

"Indeed, sir; that's really curious," said the countryman. "And are you
going to Entlefield to-day?"

"Well," said Geoff, "I fancy so. I've not quite made up my mind, to tell
the truth. I know the country about there. I want to find some--some