efore, when his father had
preached the sermon. The old man wore a rusty silk hat, cocked a
little to one side, a high stock collar, black cutaway coat, breeches
and gaiters of grey cord. He stooped as he walked, with his hands
behind him and his walking-stick dangling like a tail--a very
positive old fellow, to look at. The girl's face Taffy could not
see; it was hidden by the brim of her Leghorn hat.

The pair passed close under the window. Taffy heard a knock at the
door below, and ran to the head of the stairs. Down in the passage
his mother was talking to the old man, who turned to the girl and
told her to wait outside.

"But let her come in and sit down," urged Humility.

"No, ma'am; I know my mind. I want one hour with your husband."

Taffy heard the door shut, and went back to his window-seat.

The little girl had climbed the cannon opposite, and sat there
dangling her feet and eyeing the house.

"Boy," said she, "what a funny window-seat you've got! I can see
your legs under it."

"That's because the window reaches down to the floor, and the bench
is fixed across by the transom here."

"What's your name?"

"Theophilus; but they call me Taffy."

"Why?"

"Father says it's an imperfect example of Grimm's Law."

"Oh! Then, I suppose you're quite the gentleman? My name's
Honoria."

"Is that your father downstairs?"

"Bless the boy! What age do you take me for? He's my grandfather.
He's asking your father about his soul. He wants to be saved, and
says if he's not saved before next Lady-day, he'll know the reason
why. What are you doing up there?"

"Reading."

"Reading what?"

"The Bible."

"But, I say, can you really?"

"You listen." Taffy rested the big Bible on the window-frame; it just
had room to lie open between the two mullions--"_Now when they had
gone throughout Phrygia and Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy
Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia they
assayed to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit suffered them not.
And they, passing by Mysia, came down to Troas. And a vision
appeared to Paul in the night_. . . ."

"I don't wonder at it. Did you ever have the whooping-cough?"

"Not yet."

"I've had it all the winter. That's why I'm not allowed in to play
with you. Listen!"

She coughed twice, and wound up with a terrific whoop.

"Now, if you'd only put on your nightshirt and preach, I'd be the
congregation and interrupt you with cou