Dwell Deep

s that bring us all t

efore. All the houses and contrivances for the chickens, from the time they left their egg-shells, were so perfect in every little detail, and the incubato

,' I said; 'it seems such

id briskly. 'Much better have no mother than a bad one, and hens ar

and she was one to do all that came to her hand both thoroughly and well. Her servants seemed devoted to h

f in the morning, but in the afternoon Miss Rayner would often invite me out for a long walk or

eat pleasure to me now, and I could not but enjoy Miss Rayner's society. She was a cultivated, well-read woman, and her conversation was very different to

the questions of the present day, and had said that she would li

time in silence, an

eep for you?

ed; 'but I do

decided religious tone in it that

like. It represents some of

what

ng of God'

n,' she said,

ow that you get at a circulating library you constantly come across the same thing-a kind of contempt for the "old, nar

ayner

iniquities. I did not know you w

hey cut away and put their own interpretation on the mos

e added, more seriously, 'I don't really know what I do believe. Perhaps you would be shocked at some

a life do you be

fe spent for the good of one's fellow-creatures is the noblest one, but few attain to th

hen?'

o shocked, child. If you question me so closely, what am I to do? I am not an unbeliever. I go to church every Sunday morning, and, as you see, I

winkle in her eyes; but as for being convinced of the truth by anything that I said, that, I knew, was a moral impossibility. Yet, when I went to my room that night, I prayed earnes

ot made as good a use of the opportunity as I might have

w-creatures is all that God requires of us? Is He Himself not to have a place in our life? What do you th

votedness. And I will not enter into religious discussions. I might disturb your faith, and I don't want to do that. Keep your religion to yourself, and live it out, child, i

I didn't mean to

I know all about it! I can read your face like a book, an

er tone, but said no more, as

made his appearance. He rode up to the doo

ply, as she made him welcome at the table.

to see how Goody Two-Shoes was getting on

py here, thank

ment of her affairs was in your h

her is away, and I am acting as his representative. What do y

at me. 'I am not going to tell tales,' she said. 'We und

enneth pursued; 'the only one who was amenable to her influence was Captain Gates. I really

imed. 'Please don't talk so;

nk he was doing? Now don't look so indifferent, for, remember, if he goes to the dogs, it will be you who has driven him there. He was packing

d I knew that Miss Rayner's

sked. 'Isn't she fee

ll sorts of messages to you. I told her I shouldn't remember half. One was that she wanted you back, I think; the other, t

ing she would; and is she going to give Jim

can't te

the village on some errand, and then Kenn

he is most kind, and I am

ay in this out-of-the-way hole? Have you see

'and for myself, I would ju

erything I come across in the day-time. I even condescend to rabbits, if there's nothing better on hand. I think we shall have the house

ve about anybody or a

ties, and that he considers it an honour to have him under our unworthy roof-or words to that ef

sked, changing the subject, as I

? Couldn't you tell the aunt you have had enough of it, and come back? It is too slow for anything just now. I promise you some nice little

ay here till Mrs. Fors

you found it too slow, and c

g at him full in the face. 'I think I like

n aback at first, and the

ue,' I p

of my society to-day, for I shall stay on to

tay on,' I said, 'for she wished you

but I intend to s

that there was no dinner at home, Hugh was in town, an

to play on my violin after dinner, and when I had finished he turned to Miss Rayner and said, 'That is Goody's strong

y thoughts kept wandering off to Captain Gates. I wondered if I was responsible for his going back to his old reckless life. He had told me once

ss Rayner's voice saying, 'What pictur

I was only thi

this Captain Gates t

d my thoughts! 'A friend of Kenneth who

to do with you,

low voice, 'He wanted me t

y n

and we should not have suited eac

vowed he would g

I don't think he w

nd manner, I told Miss Rayner all, asking her at

ful you were not head over ears in love with him, f

nest tones: 'Better go through life lonely and single, than tie yourself to a man whose aim and object in life is directly contrary to yours. There ca

ay tell you a chapter in my life, child-but not now. You have not had to go through such a sharp ordeal as I have. I am afrai

a husband?' I said, half laughing, ha

torted; 'perhaps your views will melt away when

ect, wondering, with a girlish curios