'Such fun as they are having up there,' she said. 'Somebody asked Mr.
Neigh to tell a story which he had told at some previous time, but he was
very reluctant to do so, and pretended he could not recollect it. Well,
then, the other man--I could not distinguish him by his voice--began
telling it, to prompt Mr. Neigh's memory; and, as far as I could
understand, it was about some lady who thought Mr. Neigh was in love with
her, and, to find whether he was worth accepting or not, she went with
her maid at night to see his estate, and wandered about and got lost, and
was frightened, and I don't know what besides. Then Mr. Neigh laughed
too, and said he liked such common sense in a woman. No names were
mentioned, but I fancy, from the awkwardness of Mr. Neigh at being
compelled to tell it, that the lady is one of those in the drawing-room.
I should like to know which it was.'

'I know--have heard something about it,' said Picotee, blushing with
anger. 'It was nothing at all like that. I wonder Mr. Neigh had the
audacity ever to talk of the matter, and to misrepresent it so greatly!'

'Tell all about it, do,' said Menlove.

'O no,' said Picotee. 'I promised not to say a word.'

'It is your mistress, I expect.'

'You may think what you like; but the lady is anything but a mistress of
mine.'

The flighty Menlove pressed her to tell the whole story, but finding this
useless the subject was changed. Presently her father came in, and,