As she caught his eye, she blushed deeply and turned aside.

The view seemed to change the intentions of the stranger.

He hesitated a moment, then muttered between his teeth: and sinking his knapsack on the ground, he cast himself into a chair beside the fire, stretched his limbs, and cried gaily, "So be it, my host: shut up your house again.

Bring me a cup of beer, and a crust of bread, and so much for supper! As for bed, this chair will do vastly well." "Perhaps we can manage better for you than that chair," answered the host.

"But our best accommodation must seem bad enough to a gentleman: we are very poor people--hard-working, but very poor." "Never mind me," answered the stranger, busying himself in stirring the fire; "I am tolerably well accustomed to greater hardships than sleeping on a chair in an honest man's house; and though you are poor, I will take it for granted you are honest." The man grinned: and turning to Alice, bade her spread what their larder would afford.