Dialstone Lane, Complete

eful High Street of Binchester. Tredgold senior, who believed in work for the young, had left early. Tredgold junior, glad at an opportuni

y. "Two skittish octogenarians, one gloomy baby, one gloomier nursemaid,

of the blind at a girl who was glancing from side t

. "Girls like that only visit Binchester, and t

the forehead and eyes, gazed at them until they

old, watching through the wire. "Wa

up his pen took some papers from a pigeon-h

sir," said a clerk

rose and pl

" said the girl, still standing. "My uncle, Captain Bowers,

ce at the time-table hanging on the wall; "I expect he'll come by that. He w

'll kindly give me the key, I

e, I will go down with you," he said, slowly; "the lock

something about

up his hat. "It is our duty to do all we ca

into the street, pointing out various

ind Binchester very

et," said h

rse-trough to point out beauties which might easily escape any but a trai

nion as she gazed at the crumbling roofs, the red-brick doorsteps, and the tiny lattice windows of the cottages. At the last house, a cottage larger

not have bothered you," said Mis

Mr. Tredgold, shaking his

opened it again without any difficulty. To satisfy herse

It's extraordinary what a lot of character there is in locks; they let some people

door open and stood

d, and gave him a li

that the girl had estimated his services at their true value and was quite willing to apprise him of the fact. He tri

afternoon and see that a few odd things had

air by the fireplace, watched his inspection of door-knobs and window-f

d, pausing in his labours. "He was quite pleased to find the staircase opening out of the room-he calls it the companion-ladder. And

said t

ece of work," s

, after a moment's hesitation, followed, and after one delighted glance at the trim old g

he sea distinctly. I spent nearly all last Friday afternoon up there, keeping an eye on things.

said Miss Drewi

aid," remarked

pulled down, but I dissuaded him.

e really intended

said they were untidy. How do you l

moments before replying. "I like

I advised the captain what to buy. I went with him to Tollminster

said the gi

alls, and carpets and hangings green; three or four bits of old furniture-the captain objected,

business?" inquired the girl

a delightful experience. The sordid question of price was waived; for once expense was nothing to

idea of probably being able to disapprove of the lauded decorations

, ungraciously, "but I don't underst

llminster the same day as the captain and went into a shop with him. I

rl was

n the top twig of which a humming-bird sat eating a dragonfly. A rough calculation showed me that every time you opened your eyes in the mornin

s selection would have satisfie

llow tigers crouching all over them," pursued Mr

ome," said the girl. "Suppose that I h

e of the things for myself. I've had my eye on those two Chippendale chairs for years. They belonged to an old woman in Min

rewitt, sharply. "Do you mean o

was hot, and went and made her an offer while she was still laid up from the effects

a somewhat long in

e said, slowly. "I feel sure that he would never

Mr. Tredgold, in extenuation. "You hav

s," was t

is like the widow's cruse. And here he comes," he added, as a dilapidated fly drew up at the house and an elderly man, with a red, weatherbeaten f

said at length, holding out

le," said

ot, which had been noisily entreating the cabman for a kiss all the way from t

Tredgold and glancing covertly at his niece. "I hope you

witt, regarding him

. "We must try and manage better next

u," said

ike your poor mothe

o," said

on, kissed his cheek. The next moment she was caught up an

y grow up into"-he held her away and looked at her proudly- "into handsome and dignified-looking young women, a man doesn't quite know where he is." He

"and then we'll see about some tea. He met me at the

" said Mis

ou can be freer with 'em in the matter of language, and then there's no followers or anything

d that gentle

pointing a stumpy forefinger at him. "I made a point of it, a

a recommendation,

d the captain, gloomily. "A man that has

keep his faults to himse

o faults to find fault with. The best steward I ever had, I found out afterwards, had escaped fr

said Mr. Tredgold. "Anyhow, I'm certain that

ardly at the company, passed through the room on tiptoe and began to busy himself in the pantr

oking after him. "A little bit light-hearted in

had for nearly fifty years," he said, with great content. "I hope you'll

there had come to the conclusion that if Miss Drewitt favoured her moth