of the head, at length revealed herself, she was not so handsome as
the people behind her had supposed, and even hoped--they did not know
why.

For one thing (alas! the commonness of this complaint), she was less
young than they had fancied her to be. Yet attractive her face
unquestionably was, and not at all sickly. The revelation of its
details came each time she turned to talk to a boy of twelve or
thirteen who stood beside her, and the shape of whose hat and jacket
implied that he belonged to a well-known public school. The
immediate bystanders could hear that he called her 'Mother.'

When the end of the recital was reached, and the audience withdrew,
many chose to find their way out by passing at her elbow. Almost all
turned their heads to take a full and near look at the interesting
woman, who remained stationary in the chair till the way should be
clear enough for her to be wheeled out without obstruction. As if
she expected their glances, and did not mind gratifying their
curiosity, she met the eyes of several of her observers by lifting
her own, showing these to be soft, brown, and affectionate orbs, a
little plaintive in their regard.

She was conducted out of the gardens, and passed along the pavement
till she disappeared from view, the schoolboy walking beside her. To
inquiries made by some persons who watched her away, the answer came
that she was the second wife of the incumbent of a neighbouring
parish, and that she was lame. She was generally believed to be a
woman with a story--an innocent one, but a story of some sort or
other.