"Nor I neither. What better than the good old Church of England?"

"Madam, your sentiments do you honour; you'll be sure not to say
anything of our little mystery."

"Not a syllable."

Two days after this three old maids made an excursion to the village of
Covedale, and lo! the cottage in question was shut up--the woman and the
child were gone. The people in the village knew nothing about them--had
seen nothing particular in the woman or child--had always supposed them
mother and daughter; and the gentleman identified by the clerical
inquisitor with the banker had never but once been observed in the
place.

"The vile old parson," said the eldest of the old maids, "to take away
so good a man's character!--and the fly will cost one pound two, with
the baiting!"



CHAPTER VI.

"In this disposition was I, when looking out of my window one
day to take the air, I perceived a kind of peasant who looked
at me very attentively."--GIL BLAS.

A SUMMER'S evening in a retired country town has something melancholy in
it. You have the streets of a metropolis without their animated