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by the troop of girls。 Their ascent ended with a rush； for the
rain suddenly came down in torrents。
When they were safe under the veranda； panting； laughing；
grumbling； or congratulating themselves on having been so close
to a place of shelter； Miss Wilson observed； with some
uneasiness； a spadenew； like the hasp of the gatesticking
upright in a patch of ground that someone had evidently been
digging lately。 She was about to comment on this sign of
habitation； when the door of the chalet was flung open； and Jane
screamed as a man darted out to the spade； which he was about to
carry in out of the wet； when he perceived the company under the
veranda； and stood still in amazement。 He was a young laborer
with a reddish…brown beard of a week's growth。 He wore corduroy
trousers and a linen…sleeved corduroy vest； both； like the hasp
and spade； new。 A coarse blue shirt； with a vulgar red…and…orange
neckerchief； also new； completed his dress； and； to shield
himself from the rain； he held up a silk umbrella with a
silver…mounted ebony handle； which he seemed unlikely to have
come by honestly。 Miss Wilson felt like a boy caught robbing an
orchard； but she put a bold face on the matter and said：
〃Will you allow us to take shelter here until the rain is over？〃
〃For certain； your ladyship；〃 he replied； respectfully applying
the spade handle to his hair； which was combed down to his
eyebrows。 〃Your ladyship does me proud to take refuge from the
onclemency of the yallovrments beneath my 'umble rooftree。〃 His
accent was barbarous； and he； like a low comedian； seemed to
relish its vulgarity。 As he spoke he came in among them for
shelter； and propped his spade against the wall of the chalet；
kicking the soil from his hobnailed blucher boots； which were
new。
〃I came out； honored lady；〃 he resumed； much at his ease； 〃to
house my spade； whereby I earn my living。 What the pen is to the
poet； such is the spade to the working man。〃 He took the kerchief
from his neck； wiped his temples as if the sweat of honest toil
were there； and calmly tied it on again。
〃If you'll 'scuse a remark from a common man；〃 he observed； 〃your
ladyship has a fine family of daughters。〃
〃They are not my daughters；〃 said Miss Wilson； rather shortly。
〃Sisters； mebbe？〃
〃No。〃
〃I thought they mout be； acause I have a sister myself。 Not that
I would make bold for to dror comparisons； even in my own mind；
for she's only a common womanas common a one as ever you see。
But few women rise above the common。 Last Sunday； in yon village
church； I heard the minister read out that one man in a thousand
had he found； 'but one woman in all these；' he says； 'have I not
found；' and I thinks to myself； 'Right you are！' But I warrant he
never met your ladyship。〃
A laugh； thinly disguised as a cough； escaped from Miss
Carpenter。
〃Young lady a…ketchin' cold； I'm afeerd；〃 he said； with
respectful solicitude。
〃Do you think the rain will last long？〃 said Agatha politely。
The man examined the sky with a weather…wise air for some
moments。 Then he turned to Agatha； and replied humbly： 〃The Lord
only knows； Miss。 It is not for a common man like me to say。〃
Silence ensued； during which Agatha； furtively scrutinizing the
tenant of the chalet； noticed that his face and neck were cleaner
and less sunburnt than those of the ordinary toilers of Lyvern。
His hands were hidden by large gardening gloves stained with coal
dust。 Lyvern laborers； as a rule； had little objection to soil
their hands； they never wore gloves。 Still； she thought； there
was no reason why an eccentric workman； insufferably talkative；
and capable of an allusion to the pen of the poet； should not
indulge himself with cheap gloves。 But then the silk；
silvermounted umbrella
〃The young lady's hi；〃 he said suddenly； holding out the
umbrella； 〃is fixed on this here。 I am well aware that it is not
for the lowest of the low to carry a gentleman's brolly； and I
ask your ladyship's pardon for the liberty。 I come by it
accidental…like； and should be glad of a reasonable offer from
any gentleman in want of a honest article。〃
As he spoke two gentlemen； much in want of the article； as their
clinging wet coats showed； ran through the gateway and made for
the chalet。 Fairholme arrived first； exclaiming： 〃Fearful
shower！〃 and briskly turned his back to the ladies in order to
stand at the edge of the veranda and shake the water out of his
hat。 Josephs came next； shrinking from the damp contact of his
own garments。 He cringed to Miss Wilson； and hoped that she had
escaped a wetting。
〃So far I have；〃 she replied。 〃The question is； how are we to get
home？〃
〃Oh； it's only a shower；〃 said Josephs； looking up cheerfully at
the unbroken curtain of cloud。 〃It will clear up presently。〃
〃It ain't for a common man to set up his opinion again' a
gentleman wot have profesh'nal knowledge of the heavens； as one
may say；〃 said the man； 〃but I would 'umbly offer to bet my
umbrellar to his wideawake that it don't cease raining this side
of seven o'clock。〃
〃That man lives here；〃 whispered Miss Wilson； 〃and I suppose he
wants to get rid of us。〃
〃H'm！〃 said Fairholme。 Then； turning to the strange laborer with
the air of a person not to be trifled with； he raised his voice；
and said： 〃You live here； do you； my man？〃
〃I do； sir； by your good leave； if I may make so bold。〃
〃What's your name？〃
〃Jeff Smilash； sir； at your service。〃
〃Where do you come from？〃
〃Brixtonbury； sir。〃
〃Brixtonbury！ Where's that？〃
〃Well； sir； I don't rightly know。 If a gentleman like you；
knowing jography and such； can't tell； how can I？〃
〃You ought to know where you were born； man。 Haven't you got
common sense？〃
〃Where could such a one as me get common sense； sir？ Besides； I
was only a foundling。 Mebbe I warn's born at all。〃
〃Did I see you at church last Sunday？〃
〃No； sir。 I only come o' Wensday。〃
〃Well； let me see you there next Sunday；〃 said Fairholme shortly；
turning away from him。
Miss Wilson looked at the weather； at Josephs； who was conversing
with Jane； and finally at Smilash； who knuckled his forehead
without waiting to be addressed。
〃Have you a boy whom you can send to Lyvern to get us a
conveyancea carriage？ I will give him a shilling for his
trouble。〃
〃A shilling！〃 said Smilash joyfully。 〃Your ladyship is a noble
lady。 Two four…wheeled cabs。 There's eight on you。〃
〃There is only one cab in Lyvern；〃 said Miss Wilson。 〃Take this
card to Mr。 Marsh； the jotmaster； and tell him the predicament we
are in。 He will send vehicles。〃
Smilash took the card and read it at a glance。 He then went into
the chalet。 Reappearing presently in a sou'wester and oilskins；
he ran off through the rain and vaulted over the gate with
ridiculous elegance。 No sooner had he vanished than； as often
happens to remarkable men； he became the subject of conversation。
〃A decent workman；〃 said Josephs。 〃A well…mannered man；
considering his class。〃
〃A born fool； though；〃 said Fairholme。
〃Or a rogue；〃 said Agatha； emphasizing the suggestion by a
glitter of her eyes and teeth； whilst her schoolfellows； rather
disapproving of her freedom； stood stiffly dumb。 〃He told Miss
Wilson that he had a sister； and that he had been to church last
Sunday； and he has just told you that he is a foundling； and that
he only came last Wednesday。 His accent is put on； and he can
read； and I don't believe he is a workman at all。 Perhaps he is a
burglar； come down to steal the college plate。〃
〃Agatha；〃 said Miss Wilson gravely； 〃you must be very careful how
you say things of that kind。〃
〃But it is so obvious。 His explanation about the umbrella was
made up to disarm suspicion。 He handled it and leaned on it in a
way that showed how much more familiar it was to him than that
new spade he was so anxious about。 And all his clothes are new。〃
〃True；〃 said Fairholme； 〃but there is not much in all that。
Workmen nowadays ape gentlemen in everything。 However； I will
keep an eye on him。〃
〃Oh； thank you so much；〃 said Agatha。 Fairholme； suspecting
mockery； frowned； and Miss Wilson looked severely at the mocker。
Little more was said； except as to the chancesmanifestly
smallof the rain ceasing； until the tops of a cab； a decayed
mourning coach； and three dripping hats were seen over the hedge。
Smilash sat on the box of the coach； beside the driver。 When it
stopped； he alighted； re…entered the chalet without speaking；
came out with the umbrella； spread it above Miss Wilson's head；
and said：
〃Now； if your ladyship will come with me； I will see you dry into
the stray； and then I'll bring your honored nieces one by one。〃
〃I shall come last；〃 said Miss Wilson； irritated by his
assumption that the party was a family one。 〃Gertrude； you had
better go first。〃
〃Allow me；〃 said Fairholme； stepping forward； and attempting to
take the umbrella。
〃Thank you； I shall not trouble you；〃 she said frostily； and
tripped away over the oozing field with Smilash； who held the
umbrella over her with ostentatious solicitude。 In the same
manner he led the rest to the vehicles； in which they packed
themselves with some difficulty。 Agatha； who came last b