afternoon?"
returned Archie, putting on what Grace called "his clerical face."

"In the afternoons mother will be glad of our company, and sometimes
we shall indulge in a walk. No, Mr. Drummond, our week-days are too
full of work, and we shall need all the rest we can get on Sunday."
And, with a smile, Nan dismissed the subject.

Phillis spoke regretfully of it when he had left them.

"It would have been so nice," she pleaded; but Nan was inexorable.

"You can go if you like, Phil; but I think mother is entitled to that
one afternoon in the week, and I will not consent to any parish work
on that account; and then I am sure we shall often be so tired." And
Nan's good sense, as usual, carried the day.

After that they all grouped round the window in the little parlor, and
repeated to their mother every word of their conversation with Mr.
Drummond.

Mrs. Challoner grew alarmed and tearful in a moment.

"Oh, my darlings, promise me to be more careful for the future!" she
pleaded. "Of course it was only fun, Phillis and he will not think
anything of it. Still, in a strange place, where no one knows
you----"

"Dulce and I will never run a race again, I think I can promise you
that," replied Phillis, very grimly, who felt that "Bravo, Atalanta!"
would haunt her in her dreams.

"And--and I would not walk about with Mr. Drummond, though he is our
clergyman and a very gentlemanly person. People might talk: and in
your position, my poor dears"--Mrs. Challoner hesitated, for she was
very nice in her scruples, and not for worlds would she have hinted to
her daughters that Mr. Drummond was young and unmarried, and a very
handsome man in the bargain: "You see, I cannot always be with you,
and, as you have to work for your living, and cannot be guarded like
other girls, you have all the more need to be circumspect. You don't
think me over strict, do you, darlings?"

"No, dear mother, you are perfectly right," returned Nan, kissing her.
"I knew how you would feel, and so we came home directly to get rid of
him: it would never do for the vicar of the parish to be seen walking
about with dressmakers."

"Don't, Nan!" exclaimed Phillis, with a shudder. Nevertheless, as she
turned away she remembered how she had enjoyed that walk down the
Braidwood Road that very morning, when he offered to carry home Mrs.
Trimmings's dress and she would not let him.

CHAPTER XXV.

MATTIE'S NEW DRESS.

The remainder of the week pa