d Miss Dora, anxiously; "he was always a dear boy, and advice
was never lost upon him. From one that he respected so much as he must
respect the Rector--"

"I beg your pardon. I quite decline interfering with Mr Wentworth; he
is not at all under my jurisdiction. Indeed," said the Rector, with a
smile of anger, "I might be more truly said to be under his, for he is
good enough to help in my parish without consulting me; but that is
not to the purpose. I would not for the world attempt to interfere
with St Roque's."

"Dear, I am sure Mr Wentworth is very nice, and everything we have
seen of him in private we have liked very much," said Mrs Morgan, with
an anxious look at her husband. She was a good-natured woman, and the
handsome Curate had impressed her favourably, notwithstanding his
misdoings. "As for a little too much of the rubric, I think that is
not a bad fault in a young man. It gets softened down with a little
experience; and I do like proper solemnity in the services of the
Church."

"I don't call intoning proper solemnity," said Miss Leonora. "The
Church is a missionary institution, that is my idea. Unless you are
really bringing in the perishing and saving souls, what is the good?
and souls will never be saved by Easter decorations. I don't know what
my nephew may have done to offend you, Mr Morgan; but it is very sad
to us, who have very strong convictions on the subject, to see him
wasting his time so. I daresay there is plenty of heathenism in
Carlingford which might be attacked in the first place."

"I prefer not to discuss the subject," said the Rector. "So long as Mr
Wentworth, or any other clergyman, keeps to his own sphere of duty, I
should be the last in the world to interfere with him."

"You are offended with Frank," said Miss Leonora, fixing her iron-grey
eyes upon Mr Morgan. "So am I; but I should be glad if you would tell
me all about it. I have particular reasons for wishing to know. After
all, he is only a young man," she continued, with that instinct of
kindred which dislikes to hear censure from any lips but its own. "I
don't think there can be anything more than inadvertence in it. I
should be glad if you would tell me what you object to in him. I think
it is probable that he may remain a long time in Carlingford," said
Miss Leonora, with charming candour, "and it would be pleasant if we
could help to set him right. Your advice and experience might be of so
much use to him." She was no