smile, and was about to bestow some encouraging word upon him, when
he suddenly broke into a laugh, and looking at me with a meaningless
stare, asked:

"Who are you?"

I was willing enough to answer, so I returned: "I am Constance
Sterling"; and almost immediately added: "And who are you?"

"I am the cat that mews in the well." Then suddenly, "Do you live
here?"

"No," I replied, "I am only staying here. Mrs. Pollard is sick--"

"Do they like you?"

The interruption was quick, like all his speech, and caused me a
curious sensation. But I conquered it with a laugh, and cheerily
replied:

"As I only came last night, it would be hard to say"--and was going
to add more, when the curious being broke out:

"She only came last night!" and, repeating the phrase again and
again, suddenly darted from my side on to the lawn, where he stood
for an instant, murmuring and laughing to himself before speeding
away through the shrubbery that led to the gate.

This incident, trivial as it seemed, made a vivid impression upon
me, and it was with a mind really calmed from its past agitation