tor thought it deserved. Every
one was only too glad that Richard should come as Cocksmoor curate; and,
though the stipend was very small--since Mr. Wilmot meant to have other
assistance--yet, by living at home, it might be feasible.

Margaret's last words that night to Ethel were, "The last wish I had
dared to make is granted!"

Mr. Wilmot wrote to Richard, who joyfully accepted his proposal,
and engaged to come home as soon as his present rector could find a
substitute.

Dr. Spencer was delighted, and, it appeared, had already had a view to
such possibilities in designing the plan of the school.

The first good effect of Mr. Wilmot's coming was, that Dr. Spencer
was cured of the vagrant habits of going to church at Abbotstoke or
Fordholm, that had greatly concerned his friend. Dr. May, who could
never get any answer from him except that he was not a Town Councillor,
and, as to example, it was no way to set that to sleep through the
sermon.

To say that Dr. May never slept under the new dynasty would be an
over-statement, but slumber certainly prevailed in the minster to a far
less degree than formerly. One cause might be that it was not shut up
unaired from one Sunday to another, but that the chime of the bells
was no longer an extraordinary sound on a week-day. It was at first
pronounced that time could not be found for going to church on week-days
without neglecting other things, but Mary, who had lately sat very loose
to the schoolroom, began gradually to slip down to church whenever the
service was neither too early nor too late; and Gertrude was often found
trotting by her side--going to mamma, as the little Daisy called it,
from some confusion between the church and the cloister, which Ethel was
in no hurry to disturb.

Lectures in Lent filled the church a good deal, as much perhaps from the
novelty as from better motives, and altogether there was a renewal
of energy in parish work. The poor had become so little accustomed to
pastoral care, that the doctors and the district visitors were obliged
to report cases of sickness to the clergy, and vainly tried to rouse the
people to send of their own accord. However, the better leaven began
to work, and, of course, there was a ferment, though less violent than
Ethel had expected.

Mr. Wilmot set more cautiously to work than he had done in his younger
days, and did not attack prejudices so openly, and he had an admirable
assistant in Dr. Spencer. Every one res