I

paused for a moment - if I paid a great deal of attention to this guest during the party, that would certainly not please Betsy. But as this might be my chance to find a wife at last, I could not pass up the opportunity, and so I gladly assented.

"Lovely" said Lady Hilliard, grinning her toothy grin, "you will find that Jane is a charming young lady. She's the closest thing I have to a daughter." I commented that there was a definite family resemblence.

Tea finally over, I thanked my hostess and set out for home. As I stepped onto the porch I saw two women whom I recognized immediately by their stout figures and conspiratorial whispers - it was the two women I saw on the road the night of the eerie occurrence (or somnambulism.) I shuddered briefly at the memory but quickly recovered, for the mellow light of a late-summer afternoon did not lend itself to thoughts of the supernatural or the unwholesome. And these two women were as far as possible from the other-worldly or extraordinary - the Whitlander sisters were the very embodiment of the routine, workaday and ordinary. The only features of interest were that they seemed to go everywhere together, and their incessant whispering and snickering. I would ordinarily have passed them without comment, but I was in good spirits, in anticipation of my future bride.

"Good afternoon ladies." I said, raising my hat. "Are you in the employ of Lady Hilliard?"

I guessed they were cooks - they were sorting baskets of herbs.

"Aye, Master Acton" replied the plumper of the two, Dulena.

"How do you know my name?"

Alaina, the hard-featured one replied: "Oh there's naught we dunna know about ye and yer affairs" and Dulena immediately elbowed her and they commenced to snicker at each other. Irritated by this, I bid them a good afternoon and went on my way. It is the same everywhere I am afraid - these days it is very difficult to find good household help at reasonable rates.

From Lady Hilliard's to my own place is a pleasant half-hour's walk. As I came around a stand of trees in view of my home, I saw that Betsy was there waiting for me. She was the last person I wished to see at the moment, contemplating as I was Lady Hilliard's niece. I thought to turn around and avoid her, but too late, she had seen me.

"Oh Oliver!" she called out "Please come quickly, I need your help!"

(To be continued...)