This friendly invitation, and the kind voice in which it was conveyed, sent a thrill of comfort into the girl’s sorrowful heart; and seeing, as she looked up, a homely sympathetic face looking down into her own, she rose hastily, wiped away her tears, and thankfully accepted the neighbourly invitation, adding that she had expected to find her maid awaiting her arrival, but that apparently she had gone out. “I think,” said Miss Strong, “I can explain the cause of her absence. When I was coming upstairs about an hour ago, I overheard Lady Lavinia Gathercole’s maid, who lives below on this staircase, and who is a good creature, although a sad gossip, making the same request of her that I am making of you--asking her, I mean, to take a cup of tea.” As Miss Strong thus spoke, a loud rushing noise was heard without, and in another moment a strapping, red-cheeked, country girl dashed into the room, seized her young mistress’s hand, and, shaking it as if it had been a pump-handle, exclaimed in stentorian tones--“Eh, Miss Evelyn, on’y to think as you should ha’ come when I was away, like a nat’ral brute beast! Eh, but I’m main glad to see ’ee! I wor sitting just moped to dead, when, who should come sailing in, in her silks and satins, but Mrs. Papfaddle, Lady Lavinia Gathercole’s own maid, and a lady hersen to look at, that she be, and begged me to go down and tak a coop o’ tay; and down I went, and got cracking about such a lot o’ things, I forgot where I was; and eh, Miss, Mrs. Papfaddle did tell me as these rooms is haunted by a Cardinal.” “Why, Bessie,” said Miss Manwaring, “how you do run on! But what do you mean when you speak of a Cardinal?” “Why, Cardinal ’Oolsey, Miss, him as built this place hundreds o’ years agone, before it was taken from him by that wicked king who cut off his wives’ heads, like Blue Beard in the story books.” “You need not be much alarmed,” interposed Miss Strong, smiling; “this old Palace is supposed to be haunted sometimes by the ghost of the great Cardinal Wolsey, who, for some unexplained reason, chooses to appear in the form of a gigantic black spider. I have never seen him myself, but Lady Glengriskin, your predecessor, who, like most Scotch women, had a great knack for seeing apparitions, professed that she was favoured with his company on several occasions. But come, you are cold and tired, and we can discuss the matter over a cup of tea by my fireside; come at once, I beg, and bring your beautiful dog with you.” So saying, the kindly lady led the way to her own sitting-room, which seemed a very paradise of light and warmth and comfort, and, drawing an easy chair to the fireside, she placed her guest in it, and begged her to make herself at home.