"Why," responded his sister, fixing her double glasses with a vicious pinch on her nose, and seizing an unoffending sock with an angry twitch, "do you consider you have behaved. conscientiously in concealing from me the fact that the Countess of Glenmore was only a child? Do you think you have shown the respect that is undoubtedly due to me when you have allowed me to be so completely taken aback and placed in a false position?"

The curate had a most amiable, peace-loving temper, and when he once saw what Miss Prissy's grievance was he did his best to lessen

it.

"My dear Prissy! indeed I was not aware that any unsatisfied curiosity as to the owner of the Hall existed, or you might have heard all I knew from the first. And as to being in a false position, I think you must admit that if any one was so placed, it was the countess herself! Indeed, Prissy," and here jest and earnest mingled in Mr. Clayton's tone, "I think both you and I might improve the occasion, and give ourselves much less anxiety in anticipation of things; for I am sure much energy is uselessly expended on many matters

that really resolve themselves, in the end, as simply as this has done-vide the water-butt!"

The mention of this odious but useful cause of all her mortification was too much for Miss Prissy, who bundled her work together, and left the room, saying in a tone of sorrowful reproach,

You take life too easily; you do not feel things, Edward.”

But he felt the keen snap of the door for all that, and with a rather sad smile murmured, 'Poor Prissy! she has her excellent qualities, but she is a sad fidget! Oh, will it please God to restore my Margaret to her duties once more!"

CHAPTER V.

CRAY was a sleepy little village in the old vicar's time, and it did not much care for the waking up the new curate thought it necessary to attempt. A few, perhaps, appreciated the difference between the earnest, work-a-day sermons they heard now, and the placid homilies to which they had listened, or which they had slept through, for years. However, the alterations were not only in the pulpit, or all might have been well; but certain very lax rules as to payment of subscriptions to clubs, and other matters, were disapproved by Mr. Clayton, and he having given notice that these things must be put on a business footing, Cray opened one eye, and disapproved of what it saw.

Within the door of two thatched, slovenly looking cottages, the wives of the proprietors knelt, craning their necks round the door-post to gossip the better, and between the scrubs

CHAPTER IV.

EDDIE CLAYTON gave one more look, then rushed towards the house, leaving his wooden horse with a bag of hay tied round his neck, and running full tilt against Milly, who was singing a quiet lullaby to the doll Arabella, as she paced up and down.

"Oh, Eddie! she was just asleep! What do rush about so for?"

you

"'Cos there's a girl on the water-butt!"

Quickly following the direction pointed out by Eddie's forefinger, Milly saw a young girl sitting on the edge of the water-butt that was fixed on the other side of the wall for the convenience of the Glenmore gardeners. A fit of shyness seized Eddie when the stranger said,— "Do let me see your horse!"

And Milly felt the full responsibility of seven years upon her, and answered,

"Eddie's very shy-he's only four!

"I'm nearly five, now!" cried Eddie. "Then show me your horse, if you're so big as that." Upon this Eddie clasped his wooden steed round the neck and dragged it below the wall, and Milly followed slowly, gently swaying Arabella from side to side.

Jessie looked out of her own window, and saw a girl of her own age bending over and talking to her little brother and sister; and she went downstairs just as a ring at the front Idoor had made Miss Prissy take one frantic look round, lest anything should be out of place, and then seat herself to receive what she felt sure must be the expected noble visitor! Jessie was in the drawing-room when the door opened, and the servant announced,

"Miss Mordaunt.”

With a visibly fallen countenance, Miss Clayton rose to receive her unknown guest.

"I must apologise for not calling before," said the lady, whose manner and appearance - were most agreeable to Jessie's quick eyes. "Do I address Mrs. Clayton?"

Miss Prissy somewhat stiffly explained that her sister-in-law was at present an invalid; and Miss Mordaunt, after expressing her regret,