such a good story for many a long day." And Lord Conroy
laughed very heartily, but did not repeat the story.

The carriage drove round to the door, the coachman and the horses
adorned with white favours, and the guests drifted towards the house and
into the big hall. Walter and Dick came down the staircase, and Muriel
and her mother and Cicely followed immediately afterwards. Muriel's eyes
were wet, but she was merry and talkative, and Mrs. Graham was more
brusque in her speech than usual, but very talkative too. Every one
crowded round them, and Walter had some difficulty in leading his bride
through the throng. There was laughter and hand-shaking and a general
polite uproar. At last they got themselves into the carriage, which
rolled away with them to their new life. It was really Joan and Nancy
who had conceived the idea of tying a pair of goloshes on behind, but
the Misses Conroy had provided them, one apiece, and claimed an equal
share in the suggestion. It was arising out of this that their quarrel
presently ensued, and they might not have quarrelled at all had not Miss
Bird told the twins in the hearing of their friends that where they had
learned such a vulgar notion passed her comprehension. It was really a
dispute that did all four young ladies very great credit.

CHAPTER XII

FOOD AND RAIMENT

The Rector gave out his text, "Is not the life more than meat and the
body more than raiment?" and proceeded to read his homily in a
monotonous, sweet-toned voice which had all the good effects of a
sleeping-draught and none of the bad ones.

Kencote church was old, and untouched by modern restoration or Catholic
zeal. The great west door was open, and framed a bright picture of trees
and grass and cloudless sky. The hot sunshine of an August morning shone
through the traceried windows in the nave, and threw a square of bright
colour from the little memorial window in the chancel on to the wide,
uneven stone pavement. But the church was cool, with the coolness of
ancient, stone-built places, which have resisted for centuries the
attacks of sun and storm alike, and gained something of the tranquil
insensibility of age.

The congregation was penned, for the most part, in high pews. When they
stood up to sing they presented a few score of heads and shoulders above
the squares and oblongs of dark woodwork; when they sat or knelt the
nave seemed to be suddenly emptied of worshippers, and the drone of the
resp