This letter was not left where it could be immediately discovered, but was put with great discrimination and craft by Annie in Mrs Shelf's work-box, which she knew the old lady would be scarcely likely to open that night, but would most assuredly look into on the following day. Thus she would have a longer time to escape; for when Mrs Shelf came back and found that Annie was not in the house, she would naturally wait for a little before she began to search for her at all. For Annie all her life had been fond of prowling about in the dusk. Thus her escape was practically assured. CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. DAWSON'S SHOP. When Mrs Shelf arrived at Rashleigh she made haste to carry out her commissions. These she executed with her accustomed despatch, and would have been back at the Rectory some time before seven o'clock but for a little event which took place in no less a shop than Dawson the butcher's. Mrs Shelf, having bought the manuscript book and the other odds and ends which Annie required, suddenly thought that she might as well choose the meat and small dainties which would be necessary for the reduced family at the Rectory during the next few days. Accordingly she desired Dan to take her to Dawson's, and getting slowly and ponderously down out of the gig, she entered the shop. Dawson himself was present, and came forward with much respect and alacrity to serve his well-known customer. "Glad to see you out, Mrs Shelf," he said. "The air will do you good, ma'am. The evenings are turning a bit nippy, aren't they? Autumn coming on all too quickly. Ah, Mrs Shelf! and winter follows autumn just as death follows old age. We don't know ourselves without the rector, Mrs Shelf. No wonder that you feel it--no wonder. Perhaps I ought not to have spoken of it. But you'll come in now and have a cup of tea with my wife, won't you, Mrs Shelf?" "No, that I can't," said Mrs Shelf, quickly wiping away the tears which had sprung to her eyes at mention of the beloved name. "I must hurry back to Miss Annie; she is all alone, poor little thing! at the Rectory." "Is she, now?" said Dawson. "Well, now, and a sweetly pretty young lady she be. Of course you don't want to leave her by herself. But isn't that nice-looking young gentleman, her cousin, staying with you for a time?" "Mr Saxon, you mean?" said Mrs Shelf. "So he be; but he had to go up to London on business this morning, no Miss Annie and I are by ourselves for the time. Now I want please, Mr Dawson, two pounds of your best rump-steak and a piece of kidney for a pudding, and a pound and a half of the best end of neck of mutton. That's about all to-day. We sha'n't be wanting as much meat as formerly; and perhaps, Mr Dawson, you wouldn't mind sending in your account in the course of the next week or so, for Mr Saxon is anxious to square up everything for Miss Annie before he leaves for Australia."