“A merrier man     Within the limits of becoming mirth,
    I never spent an hour’s talk withal.”
         —Love’s Labour’s Last.
I HAD a client in R—— by the name of Monell; and it was from him I had planned to learn the best way of approaching Mrs. Belden. When, therefore, I was so fortunate as to meet him, almost on my arrival, driving on the long road behind his famous trotter Alfred, I regarded the encounter as a most auspicious¹ beginning of a very doubtful enterprise.
 
“Well, and how goes the day?” was his exclamation² as, the first greetings passed, we drove rapidly into town.
 
“Your part in it goes pretty smoothly,” I returned; and thinking I could never hope to win his attention to my own affairs till I had satisfied him in regard to his, I told him all I could concerning the law-suit then pending³; a subject so prolific⁴ of question and answer, that we had driven twice round the town before he remembered he had a letter to post. As it was an important one, admitting of no delay, we hasted at once to the post-office, where he went in, leaving me outside to watch the rather meagre stream of goers and comers who at that time of day make the post-office of a country town their place of rendezvous⁵. Among these, for some reason, I especially noted⁶ one middle-aged⁷ woman; why, I cannot say; her appearance was anything but remarkable⁸. And yet when she came out, with two letters in her hand, one in a large and one in a small envelope, and meeting my eye hastily drew them under her shawl, I found myself wondering what was in her letters and who she could be, that the casual glance of a stranger should unconsciously move her to an action so suspicious. But Mr. Monell’s reappearance at the same moment, diverted my attention, and in the interest of the conversation that followed, I soon forgot both the woman and her letters. For determined⁹ that he should have no opportunity to revert¹⁰ to that endless topic, a law case, I exclaimed with the first crack of the whip,--“There, I knew there was something I wanted to ask you. It is this: Are you acquainted with any one is this town by the name of Belden?”
 
“There is a widow Belden in town; I don’t know of any other.”
 
“Is her first name Amy?”
 
“Yes, Mrs. Amy Belden.”
 
“That is the one,” said I. “Who is she, what is she, and what is the extent of your acquaintance with her?”
 
“Well,” said he, “ I cannot conceive why you should be interested in such an antiquated¹¹ piece of commonplace goodness as she is, but seeing you ask, I have no objection to telling you that she is the very respectable relict of a deceased cabinetmaker of this town; that she lives in a little house down the street there, and that if you have any forlorn old tramp to be lodged¹² over night, or any destitute¹³ family of little ones to be looked after, she is the one to go to. As to knowing her, I know her as I do a dozen other members of our church there up over the hill. When I see her I speak to her, and that is all.”
 
“A respectable widow, you say. Any family?”
 
“No; lives alone, has a little income, I believe; must have, to put the money on the plate she always does; but spends her time in plain sewing and such deeds of charity, as one with small means but willing heart can find the opportunity of doing in a town like this. But why in the name of wonders do you ask?”
 
“Business,” said I, “business. Mrs. Belden--don’t mention it by the way--has got mixed up in a case of mine, and I felt it due to my curiosity if not to my purse, to find out something about her. And I am not satisfied yet. The fact is I would give something, Monell, for the opportunity of studying this woman’s character. Now couldn’t you manage to get me introduced into her house in some way that would make it possible and proper for me to converse¹⁴ with her at my leisure? Business would thank you if you could.”
 
“Well, I don’t know; I suppose it could be done. She used to take lodgers¹⁵ in the summer when the hotel was full, and might be induced to give a bed to a friend of mine who is very anxious to be near the post-office on account of a business telegram he is expecting, and which when it comes will demand his immediate¹⁶ attention.” And Mr. Monell gave me a sly wink¹⁷ of his eye, little imagining how near the mark he had struck.
 
“You need not say that. Tell her I have a peculiar¹⁸ dislike to sleeping in a public house, and that you know of no one better fitted to accommodate me, for the short time I desire to be in town, than herself.”
 
“And what will be said of my hospitality in allowing you under these circumstances to remain in any other house than my own?”
 
“I don’t know; very hard things, no doubt; but I guess your hospitality can stand it.”
 
“Well, if you persist, we will see what can be done.” And driving up to a neat white cottage of homely¹⁹, but sufficiently²⁰ attractive appearance, he stopped.
 
“This is her house,” said he, jumping to the ground; “let’s go in and see what we can do.”
 
Glancing up at the windows, which were all closed save the two on the veranda²¹ overlooking the street, I thought to myself, “If she has anybody in hiding here, whose presence in the house she desires to keep secret, it is folly²² to hope she will take me in, however well recommended I may come.” But, yielding to the example of my friend, I alighted in my turn and followed him up the short, grass-bordered walk to the front door.
 
“As she has no servant, she will come to the door herself, so be ready,” he remarked as he knocked.
 
I had barely time to observe that the curtains to the window at my left suddenly dropped, when a hasty step made itself heard within, and a quick hand drew open the door; and I saw before me the woman whom I had observed at the post-office, and whose action with the letters had struck me as peculiar. I recognized her at first glance, though she was differently dressed, and had evidently passed through some worry or excitement that had altered the expression of her countenance²³, and made her manner what it was not at that time, strained and a trifle uncertain. But I saw no rea............