If his transaction with the lady had pleased the man, he would not
have sent such a scarecrow to attend her, although she did not belong
to the town, and they might never see her again! The lady, on her
part, was about to insist on carrying the bandbox herself; but when
Clare came forward, and looked up smiling in her face, she was at once
aware that she might trust him. The man stood watching for the moment
when she should turn her back, that he might substitute another
bandbox for the one Clare carried; but Clare never looked at him, and
when the lady walked out of the shop, walked straight out after
her. Along the street he followed her steadily, she looking round
occasionally to see that he was behind her.

They had gone about half-way to the station, when from a side street
came a lad whom Clare knew as one employed in the packing-room. He
carried a box exactly like that Clare had in his hand, and came softly
up behind him. Clare did not turn his head, for he did not want to
talk to him while he was attending on the lady.

"Look spry!" he said in a whisper. "She don't twig! It's all right!
Maidstone sent me."

Clare looked round. The lad held out his bandbox for him to take, and
his empty hand to take Clare's instead. But Clare had by this time
begun to learn a little caution. Besides, the lady's interests were in
his care, and he could be party to nothing done behind her back! He
had not time to think, but knew it his duty to stick by the
bandbox. If we have come up through the animals to be what we are,
Clare must have been a dog of a good, faithful breed, for he did right
now as by some ancient instinct. He held fast to the box, neither
slackening his pace nor uttering a word. The lad gave him a great