, and seemed
to represent a shield of silver-white crossed by waving sea-green bars.
Westray's attention was attracted by the unusual colouring, and by the
transparency of the glass, which shone as with some innate radiance
where all was dim. He turned almost unconsciously to ask whose arms
were thus represented, but the Rector had left him for a minute, and he
heard an irritating "Ha, ha, ha!" at some distance down the nave, that
convinced him that the story of Sir George Farquhar and the postponed
fees was being retold in the dusk to a new victim.

Someone, however, had evidently read the architect's thoughts, for a
sharp voice said:

"That is the coat of the Blandamers--barry nebuly of six, argent and
vert." It was the organist who stood near him in the deepening shadows.
"I forgot that such jargon probably conveys no meaning to you, and,
indeed, I know no heraldry myself excepting only this one coat of arms,
and sometimes wish," he said with a sigh, "that I knew nothing of that
either. There have been queer tales told of that shield, and maybe
there are queerer yet to be told. It has been stamped for good or evil
on this church, and on this town, for centuries, and every tavern loafer
will talk to you about the `nebuly coat' as if it was a thing he wore.
You will be familiar enough with it before you have been a week at
Cullerne."

There was in the voice something of melancholy, and an earnestness that
the occasion scarcely warranted. It produced a curious effect on
Westray, and led him to look closely at the organist; but it was too
dark to read any emotion in his companion's face, and at this moment the
Rector rejoined them.

"Eh, what? Ah, yes; the nebuly coat. Nebuly, you know, from the Latin
_nebulum, nebulus_ I should say, a cloud, referring to the wavy outline
of the bars, which are supposed to represent cumulus clouds. Well,
well, it is too dark to pursue our studies further this evening, but
to-morrow I can accompany you the whole day, and shall be able to tell
you much that will interest you."

Westray was not sorry that the darkness had put a stop to further
investigations. The air in the church grew every moment more clammy and
chill, and he was tired, hungry, and very cold. He was anxious, if
possible, to find lodgings at once, and so avoid the expense of an
hotel, for his salary was modest, and Farquhar and Farquhar were not
more liberal than other firms in the travelling allowances whi