wall.
The church was perhaps erected for the use of Queen Bertha, whose
husband, Ethelbert, King of Kent, was also converted to Christianity,
and baptized here. After the arrival of St. Augustine, it is believed
that he and his followers came here to worship. Inside, the little
church is a curious conglomeration of different styles of
architecture; here a Roman doorway, there a Norman, and here an
ancient Saxon arch. Some of the relics in the church are the Saxon
font, built of twenty-two separate stones, a tomb which has been
called that of Queen Bertha, and two Elizabethan brasses. The party
found a most excellent and intelligent guide, a woman, who showed them
the vessel which held the Holy Oil (a very valuable thing), and the
"leper's squint," a slit in the wall to which the unfortunate sick men
were allowed to come and listen to the service.

"That's something like the 'nun's squint' at St. Helen's Church in the
city," observed Barbara.

On the way back to their hotel, John and Philip strayed into the old
Guildhall which contains some portraits, which failed to impress the
boys, however.

"S'pose they were old Mayors or some such fellows," said John, when
questioned as to what he saw. "Couldn't bear 'em, with their bright
velvet clothes and high ruffs. I'm glad I didn't live then! Excuse me
from ruffs!"

"If the important men of the town wore such gay and frivolous attire,
they had to pay for it surely," Mrs. Pitt added. "Last night I was
reading that in the records of Canterbury for the year 1556, the Mayor
was required to provide for his wife every year, before Christmas, a
scarlet gown and a bonnet of velvet. That was enforced by law! Fancy!
The women may have had a hand in that, for they very naturally wanted
to make sure not to be outdone by the men in the point of fine
clothes."

As the automobile again passed under the West Gate, on its way back to
London, Betty turned to Mrs. Pitt, and said in her quiet little way:

"I think you were right in what you said when we were at Salisbury. I
think, too, that's the most beautiful of all the cathedrals I've seen.
But Canterbury, both the town and church, is very, very interesting.
I like the stories about Becket and the pilgrims, too. I'd like to
come again some day. Please take hold of my hand, John; I want to
stand up a minute and watch that dear Bell Tower as long as I can."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

GOOD-BY TO LONDON

"A wire for you, Master John."