a figure muffled in a blanket shawl, but nothing else
followed.

"I thought fust it was you when I heard that
draggle-tail dog of yours barkin', but it was only
Miss Jane and Bart Holt."

"Down on the beach! When?" asked Martha.
She had not understood a word of Miss Gossaway's
outburst.

"Why, yesterday afternoon, of course--didn't I
tell ye so? I'd been down to Fogarty's; it's my
week. Miss Jane and Bart didn't see me--didn't
want to. Might a' been a pair of scissors, they was
that close together."

"Miss Jane warn't on the beach yesterday afternoon,"
said Martha in a positive tone, still in the
dark.

"She warn't, warn't she? Well, I guess I know
Miss Jane Cobden. She and Bart was hunched
up that close you couldn't get a bodkin 'tween 'em.
She had that red cloak around her and the hood up
ever her head. Not know her, and she within ten
feet o' me? Well, I guess I got my eyes left,
ain't I?"

Martha stood stunned. She knew now who it was.