as no need," said Frances in a quivering voice.

"Have thy way, have thy way!" said her mother again. "I was used to
boast there was no heresy in my house. Ah, well! we live and learn. If
thou canst fashion to reach Heaven by a new road, prithee do it.
Methinks it will little matter for her. And when my time cometh, thou
wilt leave him come to me, maybe."

There was silence for a little while afterwards, and their eyes were all
turned where Honor lay, the little life ebbing away like the tide of the
ocean. Her eyes were shut, and her breathing slow and laboured.
Suddenly, while they watched her, she opened her eyes, lifted her head,
and stretched forth her arms with a cry of pleasure.

"Oh!" she said, delightedly. "Mother--it is not the angels--He is come
Himself!"

What she saw, how could they know? The dying eyes were clear: but a
film of earth over the living ones hindered their seeing Him. For an
instant hers kept fixed on something unseen by the rest, and they shone
like stars. Then suddenly a shiver came over her, her eyelids drooped,
and she sank back into her mother's arms.

"Is she gone?" asked Lady Lisle.

"With God," said Dr Thorpe reverently.

Little Honor was buried at Crowe. The evening of her funeral found
Isoult Avery in the painful position (for it is both painful and
perplexing) of a general confidante. Each member of the family at Crowe
took her aside in turn, and poured into her ear the special story of her
troubles. This, as it always does, involved complaints of the others.

Of these complaints Lady Frances uttered the fewest, and had the
greatest reason. And Isoult now found that Dr Thorpe was right; for
more was troubling her than her maternal sorrow. In the first place,
they were very poor. The Priory of Frithelstoke, granted some years
before to Lord and Lady Lisle by the King their nephew, was all that
remained to the widow: and from this piece after piece of land was
detached and sold, to supply pressing necessities. The second trouble
was of older standing. For the House of Lisle was divided against
itself; and the Gospel had brought to them, not peace, but a sword.
Nine years before, while he was yet Governor of Calais, Lord Lisle's
heart had been opened to receive the truth, while his wife's remained
closed. Frances followed her father, Philippa her mother. And there
was in consequence a standing feud in the family, as to which religion
should be taught to Arthu