rped from its orbit by sect.

For a churchman to be discovered eating bread of Mr. Lacey's baking,
Mr. Lacey being a nonconformist, would have meant social ostracism. He
must, by virtue of his beliefs, masticate none but bread kneaded and
baked by Mr. Carter, the church baker.

A one-time vicar had sought to demolish this "ridiculous wall of
prejudice" by dealing alternately with church and chapel tradesmen.
There had been no protest from the chapel people, but the indignation
of the church tradesmen had been so great, and their absence from
service so persistent, that the vicar had been forced to give way.
Tolerance was an acquired habit rather than an instinctive virtue in
Barton Bridge, and the temperance meetings were solemn minglings of
bodies accompanied by a warring of souls.

A witty Frenchman has said that, "In order to preserve the purity of
his home life, the Englishman invented the Continental excursion." It
is a cynicism; but at least it shows how dear tradition is to the
Englishman's heart. It was this same spirit of tradition that raised
above the strife of sect the Barton Bridge Temperance Society.

The question of the doctor was another instance of the effect of
tradition upon what, at first glance, might appear to be a grave
problem. There was not room for two doctors at Barton Bridge, and no
doctor could reasonably be expected to be a bi-religionist. It
therefore became the accepted thing that the Barton Bridge doctor
should attend neither church nor chapel; but it was incumbent upon him
to become a member of the Temperance Society.

The catering for the Temperance Fete had at first presented a serious
difficulty, and at one time had even threatened to divide the camp.
The church party recoiled in horror from the thought of eating
nonconformist sandwiches; whilst if the lemonade were of church
manufacture it would mean that scores of dissenters would have a
thirsty afternoon.

The problem had been solved by Lady Knob-Kerrick, who insisted that the
order should be placed with a London firm of caterers, which, as a
limited company, could not be expected to have religious convictions.
Thus it was that the order went to Harridge's Stores.

II

By eight o'clock on the morning of the Fete a pantechnicon was
lumbering its ungainly way along the Portsmouth Road. Bindle sat
meditatively on the tail-board, smoking and obviously bored.

With the wholesome contempt of an incorrigible cockney he