During the afternoon, while he was walking down the main street of the town, wondering at the number of sheep the land contained--for it was market day--he came face to face with the same good-looking, dapper little person he had seen in the grounds of Burgoyne Lodge. She had appeared from a side street, and no escape was open to him. He fixed his eyes on the celebrated Perpendicular architecture of the minster tower, hoping to escape her attention, but, to his surprise, she stopped him. "Pardon me, I think we have seen one another before," she said slowly, and with a marked foreign intonation. "Of course we have," he replied, as he took off his hat. "I remember the occasion perfectly. How do you do?" Then he added, unblushingly, "And how is your sister?" "I thank you," she answered. "My sister would, no doubt, be quite well if I had one. But please do not make romances. I saw you this morning at Burgoyne Lodge. I know what you want." "The dickens you do!" he exclaimed in blank amazement. "And pray what is it?" "I think it is something that does not belong to you," she said, her dark eyes looking steadily at him. "Indeed! And how do you know that?" She shrugged her shoulders expressively. "_Cela n'importe_," she answered. "If you please, let us walk on so that we do not draw attention. Yes, I know what you want, and I think that I can assist you a little." "It's very good of you to suggest it," said Maxwell-Pitt as they walked along the street; "and I'm sure I'm much obliged to you. I'm not accustomed to this sort of business, you know." "You have made the same business once before," she said. "You are really remarkably well informed," he replied. "The least you can do is to tell me how you come to know these things." "Do not waste the time," she said impatiently. "I am Adèle, Miss Richards' maid. She is in town with her brother, the captain. They must not see us together. When do you intend to--to----" She hesitated. "To pick mushrooms, shall we call it?" he answered. "To--pick--mushrooms?" she repeated, with a puzzled look. Then she smiled. "Ah, I understand. Yes, when do you intend to pick the fine mushrooms?" "As soon as I know where they are, and how to get them. If you assist me it will, of course, make matters easy for me." "To-night?" "Mademoiselle, you are a thought-reader. You anticipate my wishes. To-night, by all means." "Then I will see that one of the windows is left unlatched. _Mon Dieu!_ Meet me here at this place at nine o'clock." With this she turned abruptly round the corner they were passing, and disappeared into a shop. Maxwell-Pitt glanced ahead, and saw Captain and Miss Richards approaching. They might not have seen him with the maid, for they were in earnest conversation. Captain Richards only glanced casually at him in passing.