it's enough that we should have seen her in her shame, without its
being the gossip of the village. It makes me feel sick and heavy at
heart."

"She was so yesterday, Jim."

"Was she? I never marked it. But I know that she has kind eyes and
a kind heart, for I saw the one in the other when she looked at me.
Maybe it's the want of a friend that has driven her to this."

It blighted his spirits for days, and when it had all gone from my
mind it was brought back to me by his manner. But it was not to be
our last memory of the lady with the scarlet pelisse, for before the
week was out Jim came round to ask me if I would again go up with
him.

"My uncle has had a letter," said he. "She would speak with me, and
I would be easier if you came with me, Rod."

For me it was only a pleasure outing, but I could see, as we drew
near the house, that Jim was troubling in his mind lest we should
find that things were amiss.

His fears were soon set at rest, however, for we had scarce clicked
the garden gate before the woman was out of the door of the cottage
and running down the path to meet us. She was so strange a figure,
with some sort of purple wrapper on, and her big, flushed face
smiling out of it, that I might, if I had been alone, have taken to
my heels at the sight of her. Even Jim stopped for a moment as if
he were not very sure of himself, but her hearty ways soon set us at