d taking Ruth's arm in hers, and holding her hand affectionately,
they went out into the broad daylight. As they issued forth, Miss
Benson heard Mr Bradshaw's strong bass voice speaking to her brother,
and winced, as she knew he would be wincing, under the broad praise,
which is impertinence, however little it may be intended or esteemed
as such.

"Oh, yes!--my wife told me yesterday about her--her husband was a
surgeon; my father was a surgeon too, as I think you have heard. Very
much to your credit, I must say, Mr Benson, with your limited means,
to burden yourself with a poor relation. Very creditable indeed."

Miss Benson glanced at Ruth; she either did not hear or did not
understand, but passed on into the awful sphere of Mr Bradshaw's
observation unmoved. He was in a bland and condescending humour of
universal approval, and when he saw Ruth, he nodded his head in token
of satisfaction. That ordeal was over, Miss Benson thought, and in
the thought rejoiced.

"After dinner, you must go and lie down, my dear," said she, untying
Ruth's bonnet-strings, and kissing her. "Sally goes to church again,
but you won't mind staying alone in the house. I am sorry we have
so many people to dinner, but my brother will always have enough
on Sundays for any old or weak people, who may have come from a
distance, to stay and dine with us; and to-day they all seem to have
come, because it is his first Sabbath at home."

In this way Ruth's first Sabbath passed over.

CHAPTER XV

Mother and Child

"Here is a parcel for you, Ruth!" said Miss Benson on the Tuesday
morning.

"For me!" said Ruth, all sorts of rushing thoughts and hopes filling
her mind, and turning her dizzy with expectation. If it had been from
"him," the new-born resolutions would have had a hard struggle for
existence.

"It is directed 'Mrs Denbigh,'" said Miss Benson, before giving it
up. "It is in Mrs Bradshaw's handwriting;" and, far more curious
than Ruth, she awaited the untying of the close-knotted string.
When the paper was opened, it displayed a whole piece of delicate
cambric-muslin; and there was a short note from Mrs Bradshaw to Ruth,
saying her husband had wished her to send this muslin in aid of any
preparations Mrs Denbigh might have to make. Ruth said nothing, but
coloured up, and sat down again to her employment.

"Very fine muslin indeed," said Miss Benson, feeling it, and holding
it up against the light, with the air of a connoisse