The Carved Cupboard

iet

t calm, mo

this, the nex

*

e dark, but

h show the wa

ie felt miserably conscious that she had recognised them. There were a few other gentle-people in the church besides themselves, and a very fair sprinkling of farmers and villagers. The service was simple and hearty; the village schoolmaster played the organ, and Mr. Miller, a fine-looking, grey-headed man, delighted Agatha at least, b

for scandal and gossip. We have too many women by far in this neighbourhood-a bachelor parson always draws them. Have you any acquaintances in the neighbourhood? Ah, so much the better. There is service at half-past six this evening; I hope you will be regular attendants. You

and Elfie, who was walking with Agatha

out of her, I am sure! I am thankful she did not recognise m

, 'if that old man who sat behind Mi

. Lester is an awful old curmudgeon. He has got his prope

rs and usurpers generally carry all the world before them, "like green bay trees," as the Psalmist says. I

r church,' said Agath

nd he said with his pleasant smile, "When we are quite settled at Dane Hall my wife will ask the girls down. They wil

atha settled herself in a wicker chair with her books in the sunny verandah overlooking the meadows and distant pine woods; and Gwen a

tent and satisfaction. 'If I were starving, I would rather be in the country, because one can be clean. It's t

wards and watching a lark soaring out of sight; 'I don't think I s

uppose becoming lazy and self-ind

onded Gwen with a short laugh; 'at leas

s, but our responsibilities regardin

dare say Miss Miller will give you some parish work, if you ask her. Are you going to follow in Agatha's steps

, but I know she will soon be fast friends with all the farm labourers who pass up a

most picturesque little cottage standing in the midst of a mass of apple blossom. It was a low white

in the old-fashioned porch. They were dressed exactly alike, two lilac sun-bonnets hiding their faces; their figures were thin and angular, and each

'Do let us speak to them. We can as

te, and accordingl

to their feet, an

lead to? Why, to our cotta

ctfully, though

bright tone; 'but we are strangers here, and are trying to

erhaps you'd like to come in and sit for a bit. Patty and me don't care fo

will come in for a min

ster and me saw you in church to-day. We said you were the new family; and Deb is very good at upholsterin' and alterin' carpets, and doi

ister a sharp nudge with her elbow; 'we'll n

anged amused glance

tomorrow my sister will show you any amount of carpets that need refitting. But if I had a cottage like th

et and smoothing down her grey hair, she sat down on an old oak settle beside the little cheery b

t since father died; but it have been done by downright hard labour. And if you and your people want new-laid eggs, or fresh

ood by the fire with arms akimbo; and at t

ked Gwen curiously, after a slight paus

house in the neighbourhood, not to speak of Brambleton, where Patty goes reg'lar once a week to ma

am afraid we disturbed you fro

nd me a copy each when we were fifteen years old, and we have read it every Sunday afternoon since. We don't always g

lfie enthusiastically; 'you

smiled at

that,'

ors from the village here

tioner straight in the face, with hard-s

ther, and not do as most young maids do. Patty and me have had our chances, but Patty's lad couldn't take us both, and 'twas the same with my lad, and neither of us could bear to be away from the other. We've alwa

sagree?' asked

ed her hea

breathless way, 'and words run high at times. I keep to my opinions, and Deb k

ng from one hard-featured woman to t

and said, as she raise

or I from her. When our tongues run away with us, one locks th

Now come, Elfie, we must be off. I shall pay you another visit before long, to learn about

erly, 'for I've tended bees since I were a child, a

Deb grimly, and Gwen and Elf

quite another world. Imagine reading The Pilgrim's Progress all your life,

t out of them, I expect. What an awful existence! Is it what we shall come to yea

aid's existence, do you mean, or t

es; and not all Jacob's machinations

they?' inq

fortable and settled here, and then break them to you. I have plent

ans! Let me guess. You are going to sta

entiful as pins just now; they appe

ay of earn

I generally find I can carry out my plans successfull

hen she said, with a little sigh, 'I

ut her into

gave us. Don't

forget wha

ust also in Him, and He shall brin

lieve she thought we ought not to have taken th

about it,' said E

can understand such narrow views of life as Agatha takes. Prayer is all very well in church,

erienced to argue the matter out with Gw

n out, and Agatha went to the piano, whilst the others gathered round and sang some hymns with them. The evening closed quietly and peacefully; and as Captain Knox said g