day. The feminine reader will gather from this that Mrs. Rylands, though
charming, was not facile in domestic duties. She had just glanced at the
clock, and lit the candle to again set herself to work, and thus bridge
over the two hours more of waiting, when there came a tap at the door.
She opened it to Jane.

"There's an entire stranger downstairs, ez hez got a lame hoss and wants
to borry a fresh one."

"We have none, you know," said Mrs. Rylands, a little impatiently.

"Thet's what I told him. Then he wanted to know ef he could lie by here
till he could get one or fix up his own hoss."

"As you like; you know if you can manage it," said Mrs. Rylands, a
little uneasily. "When Mr. Rylands comes you can arrange it between you.
Where is he now?"

"In the kitchen."

"The kitchen!" echoed Mrs. Rylands.

"Yes, ma'am, I showed him into the parlor, but he kinder shivered his
shoulders, and reckoned ez how he'd go inter the kitchen. Ye see, ma'am,
he was all wet, and his shiny big boots was sloppy. But he ain't one o'
the stuck-up kind, and he's willin' to make hisself cowf'ble before the
kitchen stove."

"Well, then, he don't want ME," said Mrs. Rylands, with a relieved
voice.