174

XV. THREE IS TRUMPERY 186

XVI. A LITTLE GIRL AND A LITTLE CROSS 195

XVII. JUDY'S SECRET 208

XVIII. GIANT-KILLER 224

XIX. GOOD OMENS 253

A YOUNG MUTINEER.

CHAPTER I

AN OLD-FASHIONED LITTLE PAIR.

Sun and shower--sun and shower--
Now rough, now smooth, is the winding way;
Thorn and flower--thorn and flower--
Which will you gather? Who can say?
Wayward hearts, there's a world for your winning,
Sorrow and laughter, love or woe:
Who can tell in the day's beginning
The paths that your wandering feet shall go?

--MARY MACLEOD.

The village choir were practicing in the church--their voices, somewhat
harsh and uncultivated, were sending forth volumes of sound into the
summer air. The church doors were thrown open, and a young man dressed
in cricketing-flannels was leaning against the porch. He was tall, and
square-shouldered, with closely-cropped dark hair, and a keen,
intelligent face.

When the music became very loud and discordant he moved impatiently, but
as the human voices ceased and the sweet notes of the voluntary sounded
in full melody on the little organ, a look of relief swept like a
soothing hand over his forehead.

The gates of the Rectory were within a stone's throw of the church. Up
the avenue three people might have been seen advancing. Two were
children, one an adult. The grown member of this little group was tall
and slight; she wore spectacles, and although not specially gifted with
wisdom, possessed a particularly wise appearance. The two little girls,
who were her pupils, walked somewhat sedately by her side. As they
passed the church the governess looked neither to right nor left, but
the eldest girl fixed her keen and somewhat hungry eyes with a
questioning gaze on the young man who stood in the porch. He nodded back
to her a glance full of intelligence, which he further emphasized by a
quick and somewhat audacious wink from his left eye. The little girl
walked on loftily; she thought that Jasper Quentyns, who was more or
less a stranger in the neighborhood, had taken a distinct liberty.

"What's the matter, Judy?" asked the smallest of the girls.

"Nothing," replied Judy quickly. She turned to her governess as she
spoke. "Miss Mills, I was very good at my lesso