May continued her walk towards Downside. Having stopped at the cottage of an old woman (one of the many the Miss Pembertons were in the habit of visiting) to enquire whether she had got over her last attack of rheumatics, May, as she turned round, caught sight of Jacob in the distance. It was not the first time she had discovered him following her, but she knew him too well not to believe that he had some good motive for so doing. "Mother has not got over her fear of that man Miles Gaffin, and sends Jacob to watch that he does not run off with me, as she used to fancy he would do when I was a little girl," she said to herself. The old dame assured her that she was much better for the stuff Miss Jane had sent, when May, as she wished her good-bye, looked back once more, but Jacob had disappeared. She therefore continued her walk, taking little further thought of him. Once, however, as she happened to turn her head for a moment, she fancied that she saw him, but he again disappeared round a corner. She was still some way from Downside when, on a part of the road where there were no cottages in sight, she observed a young man leaning against a gate at some little distance in front. He was dressed in the fashionable costume of the day--a green riding coat and top-boots, with a huge frill to his shirt, while his hat was set rakishly on one side. Though his features were not bad his countenance had a coarse unpleasant expression, and notwithstanding the dress he wore his appearance was not that of a gentleman. On seeing May he started forward and advanced towards her. Making her a bow as he approached, he said-- "Highly pleased, Miss, to meet you. I have been on the look-out for the last two hours. I thought you were not coming." May did not reply, but moved on. The young buck, however, was not to be daunted. "Saw you at church last Sunday, and thought you had seen me; but I suppose you were attending to the parson, or your eyes were on the prayer-book." May, wondering who this intruder could be, and beginning to feel excessively annoyed at his impertinence, walked on as fast as she could. As he spoke of having seen her at church, she recollected remarking in a pew at some distance a youth who appeared to be staring at her. "I fancy you must be under some mistake in addressing me," she said at last. "I am residing with the Miss Pembertons, and wish to have no acquaintances unless introduced to me by them." "No, Miss, I do assure you that I am under no mistake whatever," answered the youth, in a tone of assurance. "I have not the honour of being acquainted with the old ladies, but I have great respect for them on account of the care they take of you. They are not likely to be acquainted with a young buck like me, though they cannot object to your being so, and I would only ask you to give me the favour of seeing you safe home."