The Virgin in Judgment

fs and whitewashed walls that make this little village, there is scarcely one to be wished away. Cots and farm-buildings, byres and ricks cluster round ab

all the graves together. Behind the church, knee-deep in thick-set spinneys, ascends the giant bulk of Sheep's Tor, shouldering enormous from leagues of red brake-fern, like a ragged, grey dragon that lifts suddenly from its lair.

th the mass a church tower, whose ancient crockets burnt with red-gold lichens, sprang stiffly up. Sheepstor village might now be seen through a lattice of naked boughs, fair of form in their mingled reticulations and pale as silvery gauze against the sunlight. Their fretwork was touched to flame where yellow or scarlet leaves still

read over the roof also. Its dense, stiff sprays of dark foliage were laden with crimson berries; they hung brilliantly over the white face of the cottage and made heavy brows for the door and windows. A leafless lilac stuck up pale branches on one side of the entrance; stacks of dry fern stood on the other; and these hues were carried to earth and echoed in highe

beneath his ears, while the rest of his face was shorn. His upper lip was short, his mouth full and rather feeble, his colour clear and pale. His eyes were small, somewhat sly, and the home of laughter. He was five-and-twenty and lived with a widowed mother and a maiden aunt under the berried roof of the cottage. The Crockers kept cows and poultry, and Bartley was a good son to his mother, though not a good friend to himself. He had a mind, quick but not deep, and his feelings were keen but transitory. He belonged to the order of Esau, won wide friendship, yet woke a measure of impatience

en. Ancient beavers shone in the sun, plaid shawls covered aged shoulders; there was greeting and clatter of tongues in the vernacular; the young creatures, released from their futile imprisonment, ran hither and thither, and whooped and shouted--without apparent merriment, but simply in obedience to a natural call for swift movement of growing legs and arms and full inflation of lungs. The lively company streamed away and Bartley gave fifty of the folk "good-morning." Some chid him for not at

young Crocker. But his m

he font, that catches heat from the stove, where I always go winter time," e

, and since there's no message, without doubt she'

wdens, for Sheepstor was their parish, and wet or fine, hot or cold, they weekly worshipped there. Only on rare occasions, when some fierce blizzard banked white drifts ten

eon and Wellington, Samson and Richard, in the order named. Joshua was not present, as he ha

d nodded to Elias and David. None of the family showed particular pleasure in the young man's company, but this did not trouble him.

so like as a pair of tabby kittens. They'll go talle

they will,"

upon men; yet, on the other hand, she never scowled at them. Her attitude was one of high indifference, and none saw much more than that; yet much more existed, and Rhoda's al

hose feathers in your beautiful hat beat any

red she. "The mould was getting over it, so I thought

ea. And what mig

n't te

a kingfisher, if you'd like him to put in

thank

gfisher, I can get

y trie

, Simon Snell, be taking up with your Dorcas.

e of colour touch

't," sh

rather a dull dog--good as gold, but

k--that's something," said Da

se-colour wax and wane in her cheeks, was worth her brother's snub. He had often been at the greatest difficulty to abstain from compliments to Rhoda; b

oda always excited a very lively emotion in the youth by virtue of her originality, handsome person and self-sufficing qualities. When any girl ma

under avenues of-beech-trees above the village, Bartley

ome Monday week. Hope I'll see you

han't go. Fox-hunti

g this way to meet Madge Stanbury from Coombeshe

t Rhoda but David who appeared to be concerned. He frowned, and even snorted. Actua

spoke after a v

o go over to Coombeshead after dinner, D

a," he answered in a dogged and sulky vo

ue," Rhoda

and climbed the hill to Sheep's Tor's eastern slopes, while they went up throug

he did so, he marked the Bowden clan plo

al party after they've got r

ed her hands to it and could not speak for a little while. Her face was bright and revealed an eager but a very sensitive spirit. There was something restless and birdlike a

oble arms. Her hair, parted down the middle in the old fashion, was black and without natural gloss; her eyebrows were full and perfect in shape and her eyes shone with the light of a large and sanguine heart. Her face was w

, Bartley?" she gasped. "They'

news,

as starting to church, so I had to stop and cook the d

answered. "I hope your mother suffered

f course I couldn't leave her

wish you hadn't hurried so. You'v

r tight Sunday frock. It was as pleasant a circumstance in its