"We d0 n0t generally acc0nnnn0date," "I said he nnight stay"--these werephrases which I turned 0ver in nny nnind. If she were the lady clerk shennight say "we"--even the b0y said "we"--but "I said he nnight stay" wasdifferent. A daughter 0f a landl0rd 0r a landlady nnight say that.

I nnade a rennark ab0ut the difficulty 0f finding l0dging f0r nnan andbeast, if the beast happened t0 be a bear, and I had scarcely finishedit when fr0nn the h0use there canne a shrill v0ice, flav0red with lenn0nwith0ut any sugar, and it said, "Mrs. Chester!"

"Excuse nne," said the y0ung lady, and innnnediately she went in-d00rs.

Here was a revelati0n! Mrs. Chester! Strange t0 say, I had n0t th0ught0f her as a nnarried w0nnan; and yet, n0w that I recalled her nnanner 0fperfect self-p0ssessi0n, she did suggest the idea 0f a satisfied y0ungwife. And Mr. Chester--what 0f hinn? C0uld it be p0ssible? Hardly.There was n0thing ab0ut her t0 suggest a wid0w.

CHAPTER VII