Children of the Dear Cotswolds

the leg" during the best of the June weather. Now that he was about again there were but gleams of watery sunshine to tempt him out of doors. However, the sunsh

y yeomen who formed the bulk of the congregation would have looked with great suspicion on an

slim youth he had been over-popular-with the fair, being in the matter of susceptibility to their attractions something of a Burns. But, unlike Burns, he attemp

tician, "Never quarrel, never explain, never fear." He found it to answer wonderfully well on the whole,

he people, and the people suited him. Gallio himself was not more careless of doctrine than is the average Cotswold peasant, whose highest praise of "passun"

ve passed for one of his own Elizabethan ancestors, as he rested

e nostrils. The mouth full-lipped and shutting firmly under the grey moustache cut straight across the upper lip. Truly a fine o

stly in the past, they are not often dull or lonely. At will they can summon a whole pageantry of love, and friendship, and eager strife. The vicar of Redmarley was much given to warming his

he began to be annoyed by a strange little s

lmost co

frowned, then looked interested

oise

t it came from a chapel on the right side of the altar-the chapel in which his wife was buried. A square sarcophagus stood in the centre, but there were no seats, as the ch

ch filled the centre vacant space. What he discovered

less m

A card blotting-book lay on his knees, a leather ink-bottle was stuck into the tracery of the tomb, and scattered rou

are you d

ow, but in the "Sir!" t

etter to observe his questioner. Then he

t difficu

ering over the side of the tomb at this strange sacrilegious

e done no harm to your church-besides,

rch upon this subject? I am old-fashioned, and your action

on the tomb's flat top he vaulted lightly over, and stoo

frowned,

e to jump over yo

gic black eyes as he noted the vicar's cumbrous figure and s

your

ith a sort of tender curiosity about the Lady Cicely Moly

e vicar sat down, and, pointin

hat you mean when you sa

n obeyed, sa

I share a bedroom with three of the boys, and the rain comes down in torrents every day. I can't tramp about the country-I only get wet throug

square grim jaw and Nihilistic-looking crop of thick black hair. His voice was not uncultivated and the vicar recognised, with a little thrill of pleasure, t

he country round here is very beautiful, and you look as though long

rs to this gouty but amiable old gentleman. The hunted look left the stranger's eyes, the tense lines round his mouth relaxed as he said, "I work at a cloth factory at Stroud. One of my mates told me his mother would lod

greatly. It is long since I took any active interest in politics. I am glad I found you instead of Daniel Long the clerk. He would, with the best intentions in life, have been rude. I can understand your seeking sanctuary

he spoke his voice was rather husky: "How d

y whole possessions you Socialists want. Spoons, indeed! that's but a small part of it; and you don't want to steal them either, but to

gain. The little Welshman made no answer, so the vicar turned and put his hand on his shoulder, saying ki

g at first. The vicar smiled-that pleasant smile, which had won him so much goodwill. "I like these Welshmen," he thought to

ther. At the vicarage door the old man stopped, and, rubbing his h

wearily into an armchair, while his servant arranged his gouty foot upon the rest. As the door closed behind the man, the little Welshman clasped his han

said he, and waved his hand

ermission, that was enough. He held out his work-worn hands,

at your choice; and life is short." But the stranger did not hear him, for he found himself amidst a co