and was inclined to think the Rector unduly strict. Accordingly
they stood in their accustomed places, but, as most of them felt,
probably for the last time on New Year's Eve.

The faces of men and women and children, with one exception, were
wreathed in smiles; but that one exception was notable indeed. Hubert,
with his trained powers of keen observation, observed a lowering face
directly. It was that of tall young woman neatly dressed in black--a
young woman with fair hair curled over her forehead and rather prominent
blue eyes--a coarse-looking girl, he thought, in spite of her pale
coloring and sombre garments. Her brows were drawn together over her
eyes in an angry frown; she was biting her lip, much as Flossy had been
doing, and there was not a gleam of good humor or pleasure in her eyes.
Hubert wondered idly why she had come, when she seemed to enjoy her
occupation so very little.

The opening of the doors was the signal for a volley of clapping,
stamping, and shouting. When this was over, the butler and his helpers
appeared with trays of well-filled glasses, which were taken by the
members of the choir, down to the smallest child present, with great
alacrity. The fair woman in the background was once more an
exception--she took no wine.

The General filled his own glass and signed for Hubert to do the same
for the ladies. He then stood up and prepared to make his usual New
Year's Eve speech. But this time he did what he had never done
before--he lifted his little son on to the chair on which he had been
sitting, and made his oration with one arm round little Dick's slender
shoulders. To Hubert it seemed a pretty sight. Why did it give no
pleasure to Florence and to Enid? Florence's eyes glittered, and a spot
of blood was painfully conspicuous on her white lips; but Enid, sitting
silent with downcast eyes, was now unusually flushed. A student of
character might have said that, while Flossy seemed merely excited,
Enid--the timid, delicate, pure-minded Enid--looked ashamed.

"My dear friends," the General began, "I'm very much obliged to you for
coming, you know--very much obliged. So are my wife and my niece, and my
little boy here--so far as he understands anything about it--very much
obliged to you all. You know I ain't much of a speech-maker--'actions
speak louder than words' was always my maxim"--great cheering--"and I
take leave to say that I think it is a very good maxim too"--tremendous
applause. "My f