ch better."

This amused Rose exceedingly. Elizabeth Foulkes, though the same age as
Rose, was naturally of a graver turn of mind, and she only smiled.

"Well! if I haven't forgot all I was charged with, I'd better give my
message," said Margaret; "but Father Tye's well-nigh shook all my wits
out of my head. Robin Purcas came by this morrow, and he lifted the
latch, and gave me a word from Master Benold, that I was to carry on--
for he's got a job of work at Saint Osyth, and won't be back while
Friday--saith he, on Friday even, Master Pulleyne and the Scots priest,
that were chaplains to my Lady of Suffolk, shall be at the King's Head,
and all of our doctrine that will come to hear shall be welcome. Will
you go?"

"Verily, that will I," replied Alice heartily.

"You see, if Father Tye should stir up the embers and get all alight
again, maybe we shalln't have so many more sermons afterward; so we'd
best get our good things while we can."

"Ay, there may be a famine of hearing the words of the Lord," said Alice
gravely. "God avert the same, if His will is!"

"Johnson, he says he's right sure Master Simnel means to start of his
inquirations. Alice, think you you could stand firm?"

Alice Mount sighed and half shook her head. "I didn't stand over firm
last August, Margaret," said she: "and only the Lord knows how I've
since repented it. If He'll keep me true--but I'm feared of myself."

"Well, do you know I'm not a bit feared? It's true, I wasn't tried in
August, when you were: but if I had been, be sure I'd never have signed
that submission that you did. I wouldn't, so!"

"Maybe not, neighbour," answered Alice meekly. "I was weak."

"Now, Mother," said Rose, who could bear no longer, "you know you stood
forth best of anybody there! It was Father that won her to sign,
Margaret; she never would have done it if she'd been left to herself. I
know she wouldn't."

"Then what didst thou sign for, Rose?" was the reply.

Rose went the colour of her name. Her mother came at once to her help,
as Rose had just done to hers.

"Why, she signed because we did, like a dutiful maid as she is alway:
and it was our faults, Margaret. May God forgive us!"

"Well, but after all, it wasn't so very ill, was it?" asked Margaret,
rather inconsistently with what she had said before: but people are not
always consistent by any means. "Did you promise anything monstrous
wrong? I thought it was only to live as became goo