excessively noticeable, and apt to be a little ahead of the time the
singers kept, while the violin lingered after. Somewhere on the other
side of the church we heard an acute voice which rose high above all the
rest of the congregation, sharp as a needle, and slightly cracked, with
a limitless supply of breath. It rose and fell gallantly, and clung long
to the high notes of Dundee. It was like the wail of the banshee, which
sounds clear to the fated hearer above all other noises. We afterward
became acquainted with the owner of this voice, and were surprised to
find her a meek widow, who was like a thin black beetle in her pathetic
cypress veil and big black bonnet. She looked as if she had forgotten
who she was, and spoke with an apologetic whine; but we heard she had a
temper as high as her voice, and as much to be dreaded as the
equinoctial gale.

Near the church was the parsonage, where Mr. Lorimer lived, and the old
Lorimer house not far beyond was occupied by Miss Rebecca Lorimer. Some
stranger might ask the question why the minister and his sister did not
live together, but you would have understood it at once after you had
lived for a little while in town. They were very fond of each other, and
the minister dined with Miss Rebecca on Sundays, and she passed the day
with him on Wednesdays, and they ruled their separate households with
decision and dignity. I think Mr. Lorimer's house showed no signs of
being without a mistress, any more than his sister's betrayed the want
of a master's care and authority.

The Carews were very kind friends of ours, and had been Miss Brandon's
best friends. We heard that there had always been a coolness between
Miss Brandon and Miss Lorimer, and that, though they exchanged visits
and were always polite, there was a chill in the politeness, and one
would never have suspected them of admiring each other at all. We had
the whole history of the trouble, which dated back scores of years, from
Miss Honora Carew, but we always took pains to appear ignorant of the
feud, and I think Miss Lorimer was satisfied that it was best not to
refer to it, and to let bygones be bygones. It would not have been true
Deephaven courtesy to prejudice Kate against her grand-aunt, and Miss
Rebecca cherished her dislike in silence, which gave us a most grand
respect for her, since we knew she thought herself in the right; though
I think it never had come to an open quarrel between these majestic
aristocrat