y it would impair his influence; and it was
natural that any friend taking an interest in him and the district,
should be taken a little aback by such news. Accordingly, Lucy sat a
little more upright than usual, and was conscious that when she smiled,
as she had just done, the smile did not glide off again in a natural
way, but settled down into the lines of her face with a kind of spasmodic
tenacity. She could do a great deal in the way of self-control, but she
could not quite command these refractory muscles. Mr Wodehouse, who was
not particularly penetrating, could not quite make her out; he saw there
was something a little different from her ordinary look about his
favourite child, but he had not insight enough to enable him to
comprehend what it was.

"And about his man who is staying at Mrs Hadwin's?" said the perplexed
churchwarden; "does any one know who the fellow is? I don't understand
how Wentworth has got into all this hot water in a moment. Here's the
Rector in a state of fury,--and his aunts,--and now here's this little
bit of scandal to crown all;--and who is this fellow in his house?"

"It must be somebody he has taken in out of charity," said Miss
Wodehouse, with tears in her eyes; "I am sure it is somebody whom he
has opened his doors to out of Christian charity and the goodness of
his heart. I don't understand how you can all desert him at the first
word. All the years he has been here, you know there never was a
whisper against him; and is it in reason to think he would go so far
wrong all in a moment?" cried the faithful advocate of the Perpetual
Curate. Her words were addressed to Mr Wodehouse, but her eyes sought
Lucy, who was sitting very upright doing her work, without any leisure
to look round. Lucy had quite enough to occupy her within herself at
that emergency, and the tearful appeal of her elder sister had no
effect upon her. As for Mr Wodehouse, he was more and more puzzled how
to interpret these tears in his daughter's eyes.

"I don't make it out at all," said the perplexed father, getting up to
leave the room. "I hope _you_ weren't in love with him, Molly? you
ought to have too much sense for that. A pretty mess he'll find when
he comes home; but he must get out of it the best way he can, for _I_
can't help him, at least. I don't mean to have him asked here any
more--you understand, Lucy," he said, turning round at the door, with
an emphatic creak of his boots. But Lucy had no mind to