now?'

He smiled kindly and gravely on me.

'Well, Maud, say your say.'

'Oh, sir, it is only this: I entreat that our walks, mine and Madame's may
be confined to the grounds.'

'And why?'

'I--I'm afraid to go with her.'

'_Afraid!_' he repeated, looking hard at me. 'Have you lately had a letter
from Lady Knollys?'

'No, papa, not for two months or more.'

There was a pause.

'And why _afraid_, Maud?'

'She brought me one day to Church Scarsdale; you know what a solitary place
it is, sir; and she frightened me so that I was afraid to go with her into
the churchyard. But she went and left me alone at the other side of the
stream, and an impudent man passing by stopped and spoke to me, and seemed
inclined to laugh at me, and altogether frightened me very much, and he did
not go till Madame happened to return.'

'What kind of man--young or old?'