e wouldn't have
father or me for witnesses."

"I am glad," said the Squire, "that the young men are home in time for
our dance. The young like such things."

"To be sure they do. John Thomas wouldn't give me a moment's rest till
I came here. I didn't want to come. I thought John Thomas should come
himself, and I told him plainly that I was ready to do anyone a favor
if I could, but if he wanted me to come because he was afraid to come
himself, I was just as ready to shirk the journey. And he laughed and
said he was not feared for any woman living, but he did want to make his
first appearance in his best clothes--and that was natural, wasn't it?
So I came for the two lads." Then she looked at the girls with a smile,
and said in a comfortable kind of way: "You'll find them very nice
lads, indeed. I can speak for John Thomas, I have taken his measure long
since; and as far as I can judge his friend, Nature went about some full
work when she made a man of him. He's got a sweet temper, and a strong
mind, and a straight judgment, if I know anything about men--which
Nicholas sometimes makes me think I don't. But Nicholas isn't an
ordinary man, he's what you call 'an exception.'" Then shaking her head
at Ethel, she continued reprovingly: "You were neither of you in
church Sunday. I know some young women who went to the parish
church--Methodists they are--specially to see your new hats. There's
some talk about them, I can tell you, and the village milliner is
pestered to copy them. She keeps her eyes open for you. You disappointed
a lot of people. You ought to go to church in the country. It's the most
respectable thing you can do."

"We were both very tired," said Ruth, "and the sun was hot, and we had a
good Sabbath at home. Ethel read the Psalms, Epistle and Gospel for
the day, and the Squire gave us some of the grandest organ music I ever
heard."

"Well, well! Everyone knows the Squire is a grand player. I don't
suppose there is another to match him in the whole world, and the old
feeling about church-going is getting slack among the young people. They
serve God now very much at their ease."

"Is not that better than serving Him on compulsion?" asked Ruth.

"I dare say. I'm no bigot. I was brought up an Independent, and went
to their chapel until I married Nicholas Rawdon. My father was a
broad-thinking man. He never taught me to locate God in any building;
and I'm sure I don't believe our parish church is His dwellin