l pence ready for giving to the churchwarden
upon the following day.

Hazel's thoughts wandered far--to Archibald Graves, to Mr Geringer, and
then to the vicar, his sisters, and good-hearted, kindly Mr Burge, to
whom she felt that she could never be sufficiently grateful. Lastly,
she went over her mother's strange fit that day. Mrs Thorne had never
seemed settled at Plumton, and had always been full of repining, but had
never been so excited and importunate before.

"She will be better to-morrow," thought Hazel, "and perhaps revert to it
no more. I told her aright--it is impossible for us to go away from
here; and now--"

She had been speaking half aloud during the last few minutes; but she
said no more, only sat thinking deeply of the troubles she had had to
encounter since she had been at Plumton, and a pleasant smile came upon
her lip as she thought that the troubles had been more than balanced by
the kindliness and friendly ways of many there. Even the parents of the
children had a pleasant smile and a cheery word for her whenever she
went to inquire after some sick absentee.

"No," she thought to herself. "I should not like to leave my children
now." And she smiled as she recalled scenes with Ann Straggalls and
Feelier Potts. Then over the sunshine of her memories came clouds once
more, as the stiff, chilling presence of the Lambent sisters intruded
itself and changed the aspect of her workaday life. Then, as she sat
and thought there came back the scene of the school feast the enjoyment
of the children, and then--

A vivid blush came into Hazel Thorne's face, and she rose from her seat
angry with herself and ready to cry shame for the direction her thoughts
had taken, and that was towards George Canninge and the attentions he
had paid her.

She tried to drive these thoughts away, but they returned
pertinaciously, and, try how she would, she kept picturing his face, his
words, the quiet gentlemanly courtesy with which he had always treated
her.

"Oh, it is monstrous!" she cried aloud at last and taking her paper,
pen, and ink, she prepared to make out the statement ready to deliver
next day; but though she tried to keep her thoughts to the work, she
found it impossible, and at last the tears gathered in her eyes, and,
weary and low-spirited, she found herself thinking bitterly of her
position in life, and her want of strength of mind for allowing such
thoughts as these to intrude.

At last she be