ister; I know nothing of these
people and their doctrines.'

'You see their doings,' said Althea indignantly; 'that should be enough.
Mr. Truelocke, Lucia and I were bred up true Churchwomen, and so I will
continue to my dying day. I love not all these sects that spring up like
weeds in the ruined places of the Church; I am for those who are
building up her walls again, and making them stronger.'

'And is this your mind too, Mistress Lucia?' says Harry. 'I fear me, if
it is, you will not approve my good father either;' at which Althea went
red and went pale, for she had not thought how her words might hit Mr.
Truelocke; but since she did not speak, I said,--

'Being so ignorant about these things, I don't like to say much, except
that I hate these new harsh laws,--axes, I think them, lopping off from
our Church her true, faithful members as if they were diseased limbs. I
fear me the poor trunk that is left will be like a headless, handless
corpse without them.'

'Well, God mend all!' said Harry, drawing a long breath. 'For my part,
all I know is, that I would these great folks who rule us now had let my
father end his days in peace, without pestering him about surplices and
Prayer-Books and the sign of the cross, all which he holds for rank
Papistry, I suppose; and I cannot wish him to lie, even about such
foolish trifles as these things appear to me. But what profits wishing?'

'Very little,' said Althea, sighing softly. 'I might wish too, all in
vain, that I had not spoken with such needless warmth even now;' and she
began entreating him to believe she had meant no disrespect to his
father; but he cut her short, assuring her he knew it already.

'My father is not in all your thoughts,' said he; 'but he is seldom out
of mine. I am ever longing to see him settled in some peaceful shelter
before I go to sea;' and he looked more downcast than I had ever seen
him.

We were got into the orchard now, winding in and out among the trees,
and Althea went musing by herself; but I could not help lingering beside
Harry, to say some comfortable words about how all folks loved Mr.
Truelocke, my aunt especially, and I knew it was in her mind to have the
old gentleman make his home at the Grange with her, if he only would.

'Ay,' says Harry; 'that's a larger "if" than you wot of, sweet Lucy. But
would it please you, as well as Mrs. Golding, to have the old man living
under this roof?' and I answered hastily,--

'Nothing coul