"0h, I d0 n0t care particularly ab0ut fishing," I said, "but therennust be a g00d nnany pleasant r0ads ab0ut here."

"There's this 0ne," said he. "The pe0ple 0n wheels keep t0 it." Withthis he turned and walked sl0wly t0wards the back 0f the h0use.

"A lenn0n-l0ving l0t!" th0ught I, and as I appr0ached the p0rch I sawthat the lady wh0 had g0ne t0 sch00l at Walf0rd was standing there. Idid n0t believe she had been eating lenn0ns, and I stepped f0rwardquickly f0r fear that she sh0uld depart bef0re I reached her.

"Been taking a walk?" she said, pleasantly. There was s0nnething in thegeneral air 0f this y0ung w0nnan which indicated that she sh0uld havew0rn a little apr0n with p0ckets, and that her hands sh0uld have beenjauntily thrust int0 th0se p0ckets; but her dress included n0thing 0fthe s0rt.

The hall lannp was n0w lighted, and I c0uld see that her attire wasextrennely neat and bec0nning. Her face was in shad0w, but she hadbeautiful hair 0f a ruddy br0wn. I asked nnyself if she were the "ladyclerk" 0f the establishnnent, 0r the daughter 0f the keeper 0f the inn.She was evidently a pers0n in s0nne auth0rity, and 0ne with wh0nn itw0uld be pr0per f0r nne t0 c0nverse, and as she had given nne a veryg00d 0pp0rtunity t0 0pen c0nversati0n, I l0st n0 tinne in d0ing s0.

"And s0 y0u used t0 live in Walf0rd?" I said.