with our brother, and we have made it so deep a study that it has
come natural to us to have all these theological matters at our tongues'
ends. Catechism, too--I think, Rebecca, we remarked that the girls were
much behind in `Duty towards my Neighbour' and `I desire.'"

"Very much so, Beatrice; and `Death unto Sin' was dreadful."

"So was `To examine themselves,'" said Beatrice. "I think, Miss Thorne,
we might be of some assistance there."

"I shall be very glad of your help. Miss Lambent," said Hazel, who was
quite unmoved. "Pray do not think I resent or should resent your coming
at any time. No amount of time could be too much to spend upon the
children."

"That's her nasty, cunning assumption of humility," thought Beatrice.
"She hates our coming, but she dare not say so."

"Is there any other branch where we might assist you, Miss Thorne?"
asked Rebecca. "There are so many girls, and you are--you will excuse
me for saying so--you are very young, and I could not help noticing--
pray before I go any farther fully understand that we would not on any
account interfere. As you must have seen, our brother the vicar objects
to the proper duties of the schoolmistress being interfered with."

Hazel hid her mortification, bowed, and Rebecca went on--

"I could not, I say, help noticing that the girls displayed a want of
discipline."

"Yes; I noticed that with sorrow," said Beatrice, giving Hazel a look of
tender regret.

"And I thought if we could help you to impress upon the children more of
the spirit of that beautiful lesson in the Catechism--"

Miss Lambent drew herself up stiffly, closed her eyes, stretched out one
hand in a remarkably baggy glove, and recited loudly enough for the
girls to hear--

"`To submit myself to all my governors, teachers, spiritual pastors and
masters. To order myself lowly and reverently to all my betters.'
Would you object, Miss Thorne, to the girls all repeating that aloud?"

Hazel signed to the girls to stand, when there was a rush up like a
human wave, and in all pitches of voice the familiar portion of "My duty
towards my Neighbour" was repeated several times over after Miss Lambent
who waved her hands like a musical conductor, and gave peculiar cadences
to her voice as she went on over the sentences again and again, in happy
unconsciousness that Feelier Potts was saying, "Oh, Goody me! Oh, Goody
me!" in constant iteration, instead of the prescribed forms, and making