e palace was so near Beorminster, and the sphere of Gabriel's
labours lay in the vicinity of the cathedral, Bishop Pendle did not
judge it wise that his youngest son should dwell beneath the paternal
roof. To teach him independence, to strengthen his will and character,
and because he considered that a clergyman should, to a certain extent,
share the lot of those amongst whom he laboured, the bishop arranged
that Gabriel should inhabit lodgings in the old town, not far from The
Derby Winner. It was by reason of this contiguity that Gabriel became
acquainted with the handsome barmaid of the hotel, and as he was a more
weak-natured man than his father dreamed of, it soon came about that he
fell in love with the girl. Matters between them had gone much further
than even Cargrim with all his suspicions guessed, for in the skilful
hands of Miss Mosk the curate was as clay, and for some time he had been
engaged to his charmer. No one knew this, not even Mrs Mosk, for the
fair Bell was quite capable of keeping a secret; but Gabriel was firmly
bound to her by honour, and Bell possessed a ring, which she kept in the
drawer of her looking-glass and wore in secret, as symbolic of an
engagement she did not dare to reveal.

On Sunday evening she arrayed herself in her best garments, and putting
on this ring, told her mother that she was going to church. At first Mrs
Mosk feebly objected, as her husband was away in Southberry and would
not be back all night; but as Bell declared that she wanted some
amusement after working hard at pulling beer all the week, Mrs Mosk gave
way. She did not approve of Bell's mention of evening service as
amusement, but she did approve of her going to church, so when the young
lady had exhibited herself to the invalid in all her finery, she went
away in the greatest good-humour. As the evening was hot, she had put on
a dress of pale blue muslin adorned with white ribbons, a straw hat with
many flowers and feathers, and to finish off her costume, her gloves and
shoes and sunshade were white. As these cool colours rather toned down
the extreme red of her healthy complexion, she really looked very well;
and when Gabriel saw her seated in a pew near the pulpit, behaving as
demurely as a cat that is after cream, he could not but think how pretty
and pious she was. It was probably the first time that piety had ever
been associated with Bell's character, although she was not a bad girl
on the whole; but that Gab