age gate, and saw just in front
of them a figure stepping jauntily up the drive.

"Oh!" cried Nancy. "Mother! Pennie! Look! Phere's Miss Barnicroft
going to call."

Mrs Hawthorne roused herself at once from her book, for no one could
look forward with indifference to a visit from Miss Barnicroft.

CHAPTER FIVE.

MISS BARNICROFT'S MONEY.

Not very far from the Roman camp Rumborough Common ended in a rough
rutty road, or rather lane, and about half-way down this stood a small
white cottage with a thatched roof. It was an ordinary labourer's
cottage with the usual patch of garden, just like scores of others round
about; but it possessed a strange and peculiar interest of its own, for
it was not an ordinary labourer who lived there, it was Miss Barnicroft,
with two dogs and a goat.

Now Miss Barnicroft was not in the least like other people, and the
children considered her by far the most interesting object to be seen
near Easney, so that they never passed her lonely dwelling without
trying to get a glimpse of her, or at least of her animals. They were
careful, however, only to take side glances, and to look very grave if
they did happen to see her, for they had been taught to regard her with
respect, and on no account to smile at anything odd in her appearance or
behaviour. "Poor Miss Barnicroft" she was generally called, though
Andrew spoke less politely of her as the "daft lady."

In their walks with Miss Grey it was with a thrill of pleasure that they
sometimes saw the well-known flighty figure approaching, for there was
always something worth looking at in Miss Barnicroft. Her garments were
never twice alike, so that she seemed a fresh person every time.
Sometimes she draped herself in flowing black robes, with a veil tied
closely over her head and round her face. At others she wore a
high-crowned hat decked with gay ribbons, a short skirt, and yellow
satin boots. There was endless variety in her array, but however
fantastic it might be, she preserved through it all a certain air of
dignity and distinction which was most impressive.

Her face, too, was delicate in feature and refined in expression. Her
short upper lip had a haughty curl, and her grey eyes flickered
uncertainly beneath well-marked brows. Although she was not more than
middle-aged her hair was snowy white, and sometimes escaping here and
there in stray locks from her head-dress, added to the strangeness of
her appearance. Miss