street, and allow himself to be taken in; and before finally releasing
him at the gate, she buttoned his greatcoat up to his chin, thrust two
pellets of cotton into his ears, and gave him a parting kiss. Then she
watched him tenderly for a minute or so as he strode on with the step of
a man who needed not all those fostering admonitions and coddling cares.

As soon as he was out of sight of the lady and the windows of the villa,
the gentleman cautiously unbuttoned his greatcoat, and removed the cotton
from his ears. "She takes much after her mother, does Anna Maria,"
muttered the gentleman; "and I am very glad she is so well married."

He had not advanced many paces when, from a branchroad to the right that
led to the railway station, another gentleman, much younger, and whose
dress unequivocally bespoke him a minister of our Church, came suddenly
upon him. Each with surprise recognised the other.

"What!--Mr. George Morley!"

"Mr. Hartopp!--How are you, my dear sir?--What brings you so far from
home?"

"I am on a visit to my daughter, Anna Maria. She has not been long
married--to young Jessop. Old Jessop is one of the principal merchants
at Ouzelford--very respectable worthy family. The young couple are
happily settled in a remarkably snug villa--that is it with the portico,
not a hundred yards behind us, to the right. Very handsome town,
Ouzelford; you are bound to it, of course?--we can walk together. I am
going to look at the papers in the City Rooms--very fine rooms they are.
But you are straight from London, perhaps, and have seen the day's
journals? Any report of the meeting in aid of the Ragged Schools?"