ice. Have you thought of the little suggestions I
ventured to make? Oh, the drawings are here. Mr Wentworth does not
approve of them, I suppose?" said the Rector, turning sternly round
upon the unlucky Curate of St Roque's.

"I can only say I sympathise with you profoundly," said young
Wentworth, with great seriousness. "Such a terrible church must be a
great trial. I wish I had any advice worth offering; but it is my hour
for a short service down at the canal, and I can't keep my poor
bargees waiting. Good morning. I hope you'll come and give us your
countenance, Mrs Morgan. There's no end of want and trouble at
Wharfside."

"Is Mr Wentworth aware, I wonder, that Wharfside is in the parish of
Carlingford?" said the Rector, with involuntary severity, as the young
priest withdrew calmly to go to his "duty." Mr Folgate, who supposed
himself to be addressed, smiled, and said, "Oh yes, of course," and
unfolded his drawings, to which the clerical pair before him lent a
disturbed attention. They were both in a high state of indignation by
this time. It seemed indispensable that something should be done to
bring to his senses an intruder so perfectly composed and at his
ease.

CHAPTER II.

Meanwhile Mr Wentworth, without much thought of his sins, went down
George Street, meaning to turn off at the first narrow turning which
led down behind the shops and traffic, behind the comfort and beauty
of the little town, to that inevitable land of shadow which always
dogs the sunshine. Carlingford proper knew little about it, except
that it increased the poor-rates, and now and then produced a fever.
The minister of Salem Chapel was in a state of complete ignorance on
the subject. The late Rector had been equally uninformed. Mr Bury, who
was Evangelical, had the credit of disinterring the buried creatures
there about thirty years ago. It was an office to be expected of that
much-preaching man; but what was a great deal more extraordinary, was
to find that the only people now in Carlingford who knew anything
about Wharfside, except overseers of the poor and guardians of the
public peace, were the Perpetual Curate of St Roque's--who had nothing
particular to do with it, and who was regarded by many sober-minded
persons with suspicion as a dilettante Anglican, given over to floral
ornaments and ecclesiastical upholstery--and some half-dozen people of
the very _elite_ of society, principally ladies residing in Grange
Lane.