as a little frightened when she saw that Sir Thomas walked on
with them; but Rose marched on as if she did not care whether he came or
not. For about a year after Queen Mary's accession Sir Thomas had come
pretty regularly to the prayer-meetings which were held sometimes at the
Blue Bell, and sometimes at Ursula Felstede's at Thorpe, and also
sometimes at John Love's on the Heath. He often read the Bible to them,
and gave them little sermons, and seemed as kind and pleasant as
possible. But when Queen Mary had been about a year on the throne, and
it could be plainly seen which way things were going--that is, that she
would try to bring back the Popish religion which her brother had cast
off--Sir Thomas began to come less often. He found it too far to John
Love's and to Thorpe; and whenever the meeting was at the Blue Bell,
which was only a few hundred yards from the Vicarage,--well, it
certainly was odd that Sir Thomas was always poorly on that night.
Still, nobody liked to think that he was making believe; but Alice Mount
said so openly, and Rose had heard her.

CHAPTER FIVE.

IN DIFFICULTIES.

Cissy Johnson was not old enough to understand all the reasons why her
father distrusted the priest; but she knew well that "Father didn't like
him," and like the dutiful little girl she was, she was resolved not to
make a friend of any one whom her father disliked, for she knew that he
might have good reasons which she could not understand. But Cissy had
been taught to be civil to everybody, and respectful to her betters--
lessons of which a little more would not hurt some folks in the present
day. People make a great mistake who think that you cannot both be
respectful to others and independent for yourself. The Bible teaches us
to do both. Being in this state of mind, Cissy was decidedly pleased to
see her father coming up from the other end of the lane.

"Oh, here's Father!" she said to Rose; and little Will ran on joyfully
to meet him.

"Well, my lad!" was Johnson's greeting to his boy. "So thou and Cissy
have got back? It's a right long way for such as thou."

Little Will suddenly remembered that he was exceedingly tired, and said
so.

"Thou'd better go to bed," said her father, as they came up with the
girls. "Well, Cis, who hast thou picked up?--I'm right thankful to
you," he added, looking at Rose, "for giving my little maid a helping
hand. It's a long way for such little ones, all the way from t