into Harry and Tom, a lady in black, and a child.
Evidently the devoted Tom was keeping guard over one of the
enchantresses, for the figure was that of Averil Ward, though, as Ethel
said, shaking hands, she was hardly to be known with only one sister.

'We have been delayed,' said Averil; 'poor little Ella was in an agony
about the firing, and we could not leave her till your
brother'--indicating Harry--'was so kind as to take her to Gertrude.'

'True to the Englishwoman's boast of never having seen the smoke of an
engagement,' said Tom.

'A practising is not an engagement,' said Ethel.

'There may be quite as many casualties,' quoth Tom, indulging in some
of the current ready-made wit on the dangers of volunteering, for the
pure purpose of teasing; but he was vigorously fallen upon by Harry and
Ethel, and Averil brightened as she heard him put to the rout. The
shots were already heard, when two more black figures were seen in the
distance, going towards the gate.

'Is that Richard?' exclaimed Tom.

'Ay, and I do believe, the widow!' rejoined Harry.

'Oh, yes,' said Averil. 'I heard her talking about Abbotstoke Church,
and saying how much she wished to see it. She must have got Mr. May to
show it to her.'

Ethel, who had no real fears for Richard herself, looked on amused to
watch how the guardian spirit was going to act. He exclaimed, 'By the
bye, Miss Ward, would you not like to see it? They have a very nice
brass to old Mr. Rivers, and have been doing up the chancel.'

'Thank you, said Ave, 'I should prefer going to see how Leonard is
getting on.'

'Right, Miss Ward,' said Harry; 'the church won't run away.'

'Well, then,' said Tom, after a moment's hesitation, 'I think I shall
just run down, as the church is open, and see what sort of work they
have made of the chancel.'

Ethel had the strongest fancy to try what he would do if she were to be
seized with a desire to inspect the chancel; but she did not wish to
let Harry and Averil appear on the ground under no escort but Minna's,
and so permitted Tom to leave them to her keeping, and watched him
hasten to break up the tete-a-tete.

Coming among the spectators, who, chiefly drawn up on the carriage
drive, were watching from a safe distance the gray figures in turn take
aim and emit from their rifles the flash and cotton-wool-like tuft of
smoke, Ethel's interest was somewhat diminished by hearing that all the
other marksmen had been distanced by th