ecoration, or having them placed where the eye and thought
might be won by them. In fact, Ethel always hated fashion, but feared
prejudice.

The crown of the whole carnival was to be the Abbotstoke entertainment
on the enrolment of the volunteers. Preparations went on with great
spirit, and the drill sergeant had unremitting work, the target little
peace, and Aubrey and Leonard were justly accused of making fetishes of
their rifles. The town was frantic, no clothes but uniforms could be
had, and the tradesmen forgot their customers in the excitement of
electing officers.

Averil thought it very officious of Mrs. Pugh to collect a romantic
party of banner-working young ladies before the member's wife or the
mayor's family had authorized it; and she refused to join, both on the
plea of want of time, and because she heard that Mr. Elvers, a real
dragoon, declared colours to be inappropriate to riflemen. And so he
did; but his wife said the point was not martial correctness, but
popular feeling; so Mary gratified the party by bringing her needle,
Dr. Spencer took care the blazonry of the arms of the old abbey was
correct, and Flora asked the great lady of the county to present the
banner, and gave the invitation to Mrs. Pugh, who sighed, shook her
head, dried her eyes, and said something about goodness and spirits;
and Mrs. Rivers professed to understand, and hope Mrs. Pugh would do
exactly as best suited her.

Was this manoeuvring, or only living in the present?

Mary accompanied Harry for a long day of shopping in London when he
went to report himself, starting and returning in the clouds of night,
and transacting a prodigious amount of business with intense delight
and no fatigue; and she was considered to have fitted out the mayor's
daughters suitably with his municipal dignity, of which Ethel piqued
herself on being proud.

The entertainment was not easy to arrange at such a season, and
Blanche's 'experience,' being of early autumn, was at fault; but Flora
sent for all that could embellish her conservatories, and by one of the
charities by which she loved to kill two birds with one stone, imported
a young lady who gained her livelihood by singing at private concerts,
and with her for a star, supported by the Minster and Cathedral choirs,
hoped to get up sufficient music to occupy people till it should be
late enough to dance. She still had some diplomacy to exercise, for
Mrs. Ledwich suggested asking dear Av