NOT five minutes' walk from Lowercoombe Farm, situated a little back from the high road, was a large-sized, detached cottage called Coombe Villa, standing in its own grounds. It had been unoccupied for some months, but one day towards the end of March, as Nellie and Bessie Maple went by on their way to school, they noticed a large furniture van drawn up in front of the garden gate, and several men engaged in carrying different articles of household furniture into the cottage. They paused a moment to watch, and then ran on to make up for lost time, wondering who the new inhabitants of Coombe Villa were, and wishing they knew all about them.
On their return journey they found the van had gone, and an old man was sweeping up the straw and litter that strewed the garden path, whilst a maidservant stood at one of the open windows looking out.
The children went home in some excitement to inform their mother that Coombe Villa was occupied again; and during the time the family was seated at dinner the conversation was mostly about the newcomers.
"The cottage has been taken by a Mr. Manners," the farmer said. "I was told so in the village this morning—in fact, Mr. Manners was pointed out to me, and a fine-looking gentleman, he seemed, with a pleasant face. They tell me he is a widower with an only child, a little girl of about the same age as our Bessie, I should think."
"Oh, have you seen her?" the children enquired with great interest.
"Yes; she was with her father this morning. They had evidently been shopping in the village, for they were laden with parcels. They look nice people, but of course one cannot always judge by appearances."
Nellie and Bessie were very curious about their new neighbours, and felt the advent of strangers to the parish to be an exciting event, for, like most country children, they rarely saw a face they did not know, unless on the few occasions when they went with their parents to the nearest market town. So they peeped into the garden of Coombe Villa every time they passed, in the hope of seeing the little girl, but nearly a week elapsed before they caught sight of her. On that occasion she was at play with a black and white fox-terrier, and laughing merrily as the dog frisked around her delighted with the game.
She stood inside the gate looking through the bars as Nellie and Bessie came within view, and when she met their eager glances she smiled a little shyly, and said: "Good morning!"
"Good morning!" they echoed, and passed on slowly.
Once they looked back, and perceived the little girl gazing after them with her face full of lively interest. Next morning she was there again—this time evidently watching for them. She greeted them in the same manner as before, adding quickly: