n and lady to see her the day her back was so bad!"

The bishop said grace, and left granny to the goose, while he gave Ethel
his arm, which she would have thought an unaccountable proceeding if she
had not recollected that Richard might be considered as host, and that
she was his eldest sister forthcoming.

No sooner, however, had they come beyond the wicket than she saw her
father speaking to Will Adams, and there was that in the air of both
which made it no surprise when Dr. May came up, saying, "Ethel, I must
carry you away;" and, in explanation to the bishop, "my poor girl at
home is not so well."

All was inquiry and sympathy. Ethel was frantic to be at home, and would
have rushed off at once, if Richard had not held her fast, asking what
good she would do by hurrying in, breathless and exhausted, so as to add
to Flora's fright and distress, the anxiety which was most upon their
minds, since she had never before witnessed one of the seizures, that
were only too ordinary matters in the eyes of the home party. No one but
Dr. May and Ethel should go. Richard undertook to tell the rest, and the
gig making its appearance, Ethel felt that the peculiarly kind manner
with which the bishop pressed her hand, and gave them all good wishes,
was like a continuation of his blessing to aid her in her home scene of
trial.

Perhaps, it was well for her that her part in the consecration
festivities should end here; at least so thought Mr. Wilmot, who, though
very sorry for the cause, could not wish her to have been present at the
luncheon. She had not thought of self hitherto, the church was the gift
of Alan and Margaret, the work of preparing the people belonged to all
alike, and she did not guess that, in the sight of others, she was not
the nobody that she believed herself. Her share in the work at Cocksmoor
was pretty well known, and Dr. Hoxton could not allow a public occasion
to pass without speeches, such as must either have been very painful,
or very hurtful to her. The absence of herself and her father, however,
permitted a more free utterance to the general feeling; and things were
said, that did indeed make the rest of the family extremely hot and
uncomfortable, but which gave them extreme pleasure. Norman was obliged
to spare Richard the answer, and said exactly what he ought, and so
beautifully, that Meta could not find it in her heart to echo the
fervent wish, which he whispered as he sat down, that speechifying