e is so full
of good works, don't you know, that she has not time for domestic
duties; and so Carlyon pere and Carlyon frere have a roughish time of
it."

Malcolm's thoughts instinctively reverted to his mother. With all her
work and philanthropic schemes, she was never too busy to see to her
household. She might neglect her own personal comfort and overtask her
willing helper Anna, but her servants did their duty, and were well fed
and well managed; and they worked all the better for the knowledge that
their mistress's keen eyes would detect the slightest laxity. "My
mother is a good woman," he said to himself; "she is true and just in
all her dealings," and he felt with a sudden pang of remorse as though
he had never valued her enough.

"Is Miss Carlyon like her brother in appearance?" he asked the next
minute.

"Not a bit; she would make two of David. She is a big, red-haired
woman, not exactly bad-looking--if she would only set herself off. But
the Carlyons have a family failing, they cling to their old clothes and
eschew fashion. Hush, here comes Mother Pratt with the tea-tray. Look
at her well, Herrick. She is a good imitation of the immortal Mrs.
Gummidge, and bears a mortified exterior, out of compliment to the late
Samuel Pratt, sexton and grave-digger and parochial Jack-of-all-trades."

The bumping sounds in the distance that Cedric had heard had drawn
nearer, and the next moment a tall, angular woman in a black hat, and a
suspicion of soap-suds freshly dried about her bare arms, entered the
room and set down the tea-tray with a heavy sigh, as though the burden
of life were too hard to bear.

Mr. Carlyon followed her with a crusty loaf and the butter, while
Elizabeth brought up the rear triumphantly with a plate of raspberries
and a little brown jug of cream.

"Is there anything more you'll be needing, sir?" asked Mrs. Pratt
lugubriously--she spoke in an injured manner. "If it had not been
washing-day I would have baked you a currant-loaf, or some scones; but
having only two hands, and no chick or child to help me, and--"

"Oh, we shall do very nicely," returned Elizabeth cheerfully. "Please
do not let us hinder you, Mrs. Pratt; if you will keep the water
boiling we can easily replenish the teapot. Mr. Carlyon," looking at
him severely, "you have left the sifted sugar on the kitchen table;
please go and fetch it. Mr. Herrick, are you fond of raspberries? These
are from our own garden--Johnson gathered