any body's seeing him; and that was why he left his horse at our house and wouldn't ride into the town."
"I wonder if he did see her!" said the other.
"I don't know," said the second. "When he came back it was the middle of the night, and I was in bed. Mother said he saddled his horse himself, and threw her the guinea, and away he went without saying a word.—But, come along up to Thomson's, he'd got a beautiful gown-piece in the window yesterday, but I couldn't make up my mind whether to have that or a shawl for the ten shillings;" and away went the two girls to inspect Mr. Thomson's goods, and enjoy the luxury of indecision between two objects so desirable.
When Susan had had her breakfast, she sat down in a room that happened to be vacant, to wait till the coach came up; and as it was in the front, she had an opportunity of inspecting the fatal edifice over the way, more at her leisure than she had hitherto done.
It was a large square brick building, and it had a heavy, antiquated, formal look, that suited well with the name it bore, which was the Old Manor House. The place was encircled by a lowish wall and there was a paved walk which
E3
