Year: 1878

all of the best people in Kerr's Ford.


she continued. Its quite right. Wit.
such church and suck preaching We
ought to fill our pews with certain
}. class"


Mr.. Harbour skillfnlIy separated


himself from Miss Hyde. Her vulgar


ity and snobbishness annoyed him


Yet he was just as pleased as SIC 81,
:, the influx to the church was to be O: q


certain class"


4 Mrs. Wilcox next seized his arm
"See the post Office. Mr. Harbour. An
arch OF evergreen, paper flowers, col


ored lanps-you understand the de-


sign? Lille Basset inside in white


muslin and blue wreath-oh, it will be
|, charming! You have done so much "a
elevate our aesthetic tastes aud love OF
|, the beautiful l sit in the church now
on Sunday, and look up at the carved
arches and the stained glass and GRIM
son cushions, and remember the days
of poor, dear Mr.. Stone when we wor-
shipped, over the mark-t house! The
old gentleman was always so busy with
those WI etched miners at Coalport
that he had no time TO think OF eush-
ions or carvings. They used 10 crowd
10 and fill up some of the best ser Is.
Dear knows, beautiful church would
be thrown away on themrr


Mr.. Harbour glanced at her sharply.
Did she intend a convert sarcasm
But no; the fat goodnatured face was
smiling and placid as ever. 1t was
natural that she should wish 20 se.. the
best seats filled with people of position
rather than grimy coal beavers. But
he-f he told himself that they were
all ke;-souls for whom Christ
died.


There was a sudden movement near
the door, hush of the clamor to de-
corous silence; even Miss Hyde low
cred her student tones to a well bred
murmur; the Holts and Burwells were
coming in, and with them Sarah Cievs
don. She was an erect young girl with
brown, earnest eyes, dressed more
simply than any woman in the room.
But people rarely remembered Sarah's
dress or anything about her but her
eyes, the meaning of Which always
strangely remained with you after she
was gone. Mr.. Harbour WATCHED her
as she passed through the rom, de-
tanned by one eager group after anoth
er. Was it possible that she did not
know that slice ste was child she
had been regarded as a princess by
these tradesmen's wives and daughters,
simply because she was born an heir
essl Could it be possible that she did
not see how vulgar and coarse grained
they were? She did not seem to see it.
They were Eer friends whom sh,, had
known and loved since she was baby;
it did not occur to her to criticise their
minds or manners, any more than to
quarrel with the beeches on the village
streets because they we're not oaks.
When she sat down beside little Miss
Maddox, the tailoress, there was q
Difference, almost approaching bumil-
ity, in her manner. True. the Door
little deformed woman was almost a
saint, thought the clergyman, but what
fine instinct taught that reverence to
the girl? He never had felt it himself
How delicate and rare she was, this
lady of his love, With all her cordial
sweetness, no one could be familiar
with her. She would have held a
prince as far apart from her as she did
poor little Sam the cobbler.


Presently he went up and Joined her,
going from stall to stall. The effect up
ON him was curious. Grab bag, and
postoffice slowly sank to their proper
place in the universe; even the rose-win-
dow, for which all this mighty pother
was made, no longer appeared to be the
end of life and human action; it was in
its place useful thing. But its place
vas, after all, small one. Yet Sarah
had not said a word concerning grab
bag or rose window. Was it because
she was SO simple ard true that this
hurry burly appeared to him paltry and
foolish?


He left the hall, walking beside her
down through the low lying meadows
towards Clevedon Place. He remem-
bered the furry and fever of the last
few days as a man might who had ended
long race and found mean tinsel
crown in his hands. If he could win
this woman he could leave all vulgar fe
yer forever below him and rise to the
height on which she dwelt. To see Sarah
CIevedon among these other women was
like hearing noble song sung in the
chaferng market place. They reached
the gate and passed under the great elms
to the house, which was old, and not
without certain stateliness of affiuence
and comfort.


Ut imports good deal in the charac-
ter of woman" said Mr.. Harbour, con-
tinuing his thoughts aloud, @to have
been born to an inheritance like this,
haunted by the legends of an honorable
family"


Sarah looked at him with surprise
lam very fond of the OLD house" she
said simply, @and 1 believe the Cleve-
dons were honest folks"


Mr.. Harbour WINGED at this as though
he had been cut to the marrow. He had
gathered some flowers to give to her as
they walked-white Stars of Bethlehem
veined with pale blue. He let them fall
suddenly. He felt as though his hands
were tainted.


But it was impossible that she could
know. Whyshould she ever know? He
was not guilty because his father had
become thief, and his brother a brute.
Why should be bear their punishment
Sarah had neither parent nor kinsfolk to
ask troublesome questions. She was her
own mistress. If be married her, per-
haps when years had passed, when their
lives aad souls had grown close together.
sitting by the fre some winter evening,
he would dare to tell her the shameful