hurch, and in a few well-chosen words--carefully rehearsed that
afternoon--presented his housekeeper.

"Will you come up to my room and take your things off?" enquired Mrs.
Church, returning the old lady's hostile stare with interest.

"I'll take mine off down here, if Captain Barber doesn't mind," said
the latter, subsiding into a chair with a gasp. "Him and me's very old
friends."

She unfastened the strings of her bonnet, and, taking off that article
of attire, placed it in her lap while she unfastened her shawl. She then
held both out to Mrs. Church, briefly exhorting her to be careful.

"Oh, what a lovely bonnet," said that lady, in false ecstasy. "What a
perfect beauty! I've never seen anything like it before. Never!"

Captain Barber, smiling at the politeness of his housekeeper, was
alarmed and perplexed at the generous colour which suddenly filled the
old lady's cheeks.

"Mrs. Banks made it herself," he said, "she's very clever at that sort
of thing."

"There, do you know I guessed as much," said Mrs. Church, beaming;
"directly I saw it, I said to myself: 'That was never made by a
milliner. There's too much taste in the way the flowers are arranged.'"

Mrs. Banks looked at her daughter, in a mute appeal for help.

"I'll take yours up, too, shall I?" said the amiable housekeeper,
as Mrs. Banks, with an air of defying criticism, drew a cap from a
paper-bag and put it on.

"I'll take mine myself, please," said Miss Banks, with coldness.

"Oh, well, you may as well take them all then," said Mrs. Church,
putting the mother's bonnet and shawl in her arms. "I'll go and see that
the kettle boils," she said, briskly.

She returned a minute or two later with the teapot, and setting chairs,
took the head of the table.

"And how's the leg?" enquired Captain Barber, misinterpreting Mrs.
Banks' screwed-up face.

"Which one?" asked Mrs. Banks, shortly.

"The bad 'un," said the captain.

"They're both bad," said Mrs. Banks more shortly than before, as she
noticed that Mrs. Church had got real lace in her cuffs and was pouring
out the tea in full consciousness of the fact.

"Dear, dear," said the Captain sympathetically.

"Swollen?" enquired Mrs. Church, anxiously.

"Swelled right out of shape," exclaimed Captain Barber, impressively;
"like pillars almost they are."

"Poor thing," said Mrs. Church, in a voice which made Mrs. Banks itch
to slap her. "I knew a lady once just the same, but _she_ was a drink