and their dress so
out of the common.

A somewhat prim and very neatly dressed governess followed the six girls
up the aisle and took her place at the end of the pew. But Rosamund
could still see from where she sat the heads with the six green hats and
the wealth of fair hair hanging below. She was full of interest, and
altogether her thoughts were occupied first by the Professor and then
with her neighbors.

By-and-by the rustle of a very rich silk caused her to turn her
attention again to the outside world, and she observed a lady of about
forty-five years of age, richly dressed in deep mourning, with a good
deal of crape and a widow's bonnet, walking up the church. This lady
entered a pew which she occupied all alone.

Then the choir, the rector, and the curate appeared, and the service
began. It began, went on, and finished. Just as it came to a conclusion,
Mrs. Merriman, bending towards Rosamund, said, "We will wait, if you
please, until the rest of the congregation have dispersed. I am anxious
to see Mr. Singleton, to ask him a question."

Rosamund wondered who Mr. Singleton was. But she was only too anxious
to see her neighbors leaving the church, and was pleased at the idea of
waiting.

The congregation filed down the centre aisle one by one, in orderly
fashion, and the six little girls in their green costumes and their fair
hair disappeared from view. The elderly governess primly followed, and
then the lady in black silk also left her pew. But as she did so she
paused and said something to the verger, who was in the aisle. Rosamund,
whose eyes were fixed on her, noticed that the verger pointed to the pew
in which she herself was sitting, and a minute later the lady came to
the door of the pew and said something in a very low voice to Mrs.
Merriman.

To Rosamund's amazement, Mrs. Merriman stretched out her hand across the
pew and took one of hers.

"My dear, Lady Jane Ashleigh, an old friend of your mother's, wishes to
see you. Will you go very quietly out, talk to her for a minute or two
outside the church, and then wait for us in the porch?"

Rosamund obeyed, filled with the keenest interest. Lady Jane walked on
in front, and Rosamund followed. They both entered the porch, whereupon
the widow turned, grasped one of Rosamund's hands, and said, "If it were
not church-time I should long to kiss you. I was a very, very great
friend of your mother's. She wrote to me two days ago to say that you
were com