unto Abraham. `He Himself
knew what He would do,' touching the miracle of the loaves: Andrew
didn't know, and Philip hadn't a notion. Let us trust Him, Dorothy, and
just go forward and do our duty. We shall not die one moment before the
Master calleth us."

CHAPTER FORTY.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

"Come and sit a bit with me, Will. I scarce ever see you now."

Will Johnson, a year older and bigger, scrambled up on the garden seat,
and Cissy put her arm round him.

From having been very small of her age, Cissy was suddenly shooting up
into a tall, slim, lily-like girl, nearly as white as a lily, and as
delicate-looking. "How are you getting on with the ladies, Will?"

"Oh, middling."

"You know you must learn as much as you can, Will, of aught they teach
you that is good. We're being better learned than Father could have
learned us, in book-learning and such; and we must mind and pay heed,
the rather because maybe we sha'n't have it long."

"I wish you wouldn't talk so about--Father. You're for ever talking
about him," said Will uneasily, trying to wriggle himself out of his
sister's clasp.

"Not talk about Father!" exclaimed Cissy indignantly. "Will, whatever
do you mean? I couldn't bear not to talk about Father! It would seem
like as we'd forgotten him. And you must never forget him--never!"

"I don't like talking about dead folks. And--well it's no use biding
it. Look here. Cissy--I'm going to give up."

"Give up what?" Cissy's voice was very low. There might be pain and
disappointment in it, but there was no weakness.

"Oh, all this standing out against the nuns. You can go on, if you like
being starved and beaten and made to kneel on the chapel floor, and so
forth; but I've stood it as long as I can. And--wait a bit, Cis; let me
have my say out--I can't see what it signifies, not one bit. What can
it matter whether I say my prayers looking at yon image or not? If I
said them looking at the moon, or at you, you wouldn't say I was praying
to you or the moon. I'm not praying to _it_; only, if they think I am,
I sha'n't get thrashed and sent to bed hungred. Don't you see? That
can't be idolatry."

Cissy was silent till she had felt her way through the mist raised by
Will's subterfuge into the clear daylight of truth.

"Shall I tell you what it would be, Will?"

"Well? Some of your queer notions, I reckon."

"Idolatry, with lying and cheating on the top of it. Do you think th