lions were waiting for a leader? Faith
seemed to be dying everywhere. Everything was different--everything
was different.

The words drifted achingly through her mind as she turned into the gate
of a largish house facing the main road, opening her collecting-book as
she went, so as to be ready with the name and amount. At once she
began to adjust her mind, ready for the short chat with the lady of the
house which was a necessary accompaniment of her round.

But it would be easier than usual to-day, for a topic was ready to
hand--most of the ladies on whom she called taking a lively interest in
the Temple-Wilson wedding, anxious to know if Miss Ethel had seen the
bride lately, and if it were true that the trousseau surpassed all
previous ones ever seen in Thorhaven.

This interest was so widespread, indeed, that on Tuesday afternoon when
Caroline remarked just before leaving the pay-box on the promenade that
she was going to have a look at Miss Temple's wedding outfit, the girl
who took her place immediately went through varying stages of surprise,
curiosity and envy. "She asked you! Well, you've got something out of
living with those old women for once. I wish I was going too!"

"Wish you were!" called back Caroline, insincerely. But as she went
alone down the road to the little house at the other end of the
village, her own desire to see the trousseau died away, so that when
she stood on the threshold looking through at the patch of bright
garden through the farther door, she began to wish she had not come.
As she stood there, Laura came from the garden, in which the colours
were less delicate, more vivid than before, but they still bloomed with
the peculiar, clear brightness which flowers seem to gain which have
survived the sharp spring of the East Coast.

"Oh! I am so glad you could get off, Miss Raby," she said. "Shall we
go straight up and see the things before tea?"

"I was going home to tea," murmured Caroline, a little abashed, yet
angry with herself for feeling so.

"You would not have time," said Laura, leading the way. "Please stay.
I was expecting you for tea."

Then they were in the room: and Caroline drew a long breath when she
saw the lovely garments spread forth on the bed and on the chairs and
tables. They were so exquisite in stitchery and in the fineness of the
material, that no girl who loved pretty things could look at them
without enjoyment; therefore Caroline's "Oh, Miss Templ