ion of
yours, anyhow. Aren't you?"

"I am," I said fervently. "I'm so sick of it that I don't care if I
never stand for Parliament again. By the way, Lalage, now that you're
turning your attention to church affairs wouldn't it be as well to
change the name of the society again. You might call it the Episcopal
Election Association. E. E. A. would look well at the head of your
notepaper and might be worked up into a monogram."

"I daresay we shall make a change," said Lalage, "but if we do we'll be
a guild, not a society or an association. Guild is the proper word for
anything connected with the church, or high-class furniture, or art
needlework. Selby-Harrison will look into the matter for us. But in any
case it will be all right about you. You'll still be a life member. Come
along, Hilda. We have a lot of people to see before we start. I have to
give out badges to about fifty new members."

"Will that be necessary now?" I asked.

"Of course. If anything, more."

"But if you're changing the name of the society?"

"That won't matter in the least. Do come on, Hilda. We shan't have time
if you dawdle on here. In any case Pussy will have to pack our clothes
for us."

They swept out of the room. Miss Pettigrew got up and shut the door
after them. The Canon was too much upset to move.

"I congratulate you, Miss Pettigrew," I said. "You've succeeded after
all in getting Lalage out of this. I hardly thought you would."

"This," said the Canon, "is worse, infinitely worse."

"I'm not quite sure," said Miss Pettigrew, "about the procedure in these
cases. Who elects bishops?"

"The Diocesan Synod," I said. "Isn't that right, Canon?"

"Yes," he said, gloomily.

"And who constitutes the Diocesan Synod?" said Miss Pettigrew.

"A lot of parsons," I said. "All the parsons there are, and some dear
old country gentlemen of blameless lives. Just the people really to
appreciate Lalage."

"We shall have more trouble," said Miss Pettigrew.

"Plenty," I said. "And Thormanby will be in the thick of it. He won't
find it so easy to wash his hands this time."

"Nor will you," said Miss Pettigrew smiling, but I think maliciously.

"I shall simply stay here," I said, "and go on having influenza."

I have so much respect for Miss Pettigrew that I do not like to say she
grinned at me but she certainly employed a smile which an enemy might
have described as a grin.

"The election here," she said, "your election takes place, as