iated to his own efforts. His long tapering
fingers were not so clean as they might have been, but this did not
prevent him from waving them in the air and pointing them at imaginary
Putney citizens whom he evoked in support of his statements.

"We 'ad a reelly thumpin' meeting on Thursday--Town Hall--One for the
women in the small 'all hand one for the men in the Main Hall. Almost
no opposition you might say, and when it came to the Hymn singing it
fairly took the roof off. A lot of 'em stopped afterwards--one lad of
eighteen or so is coming over to us 'ere. Butcher's apprentice. Says
'e's felt the Lord pressing him a long way back but the flesh held him.
Might work him up into a very useful lad with the Lord's help. Thank
you, Mrs. Warlock, I will try a bit more of that cold beef if you don't
mind. Pretty place, Putney. Ever been there, Mr. Warlock? Ah, you
should go--"

Amy Warlock listened with the greatest interest; otherwise, it must be
confessed, Mr. Thurston's audience was somewhat inattentive. Mr.
Warlock's mind was obviously elsewhere; he passed his hand through his
beard, his eyes staring at the table-cloth. Mr. Thurston, noticing
this, tried another topic.

"What 'ave you heard, Mrs. Warlock, about the new Miss Cardinal? I
'aven't seen her yet myself."

Mrs. Warlock, who had just given herself a little piece of beef, some
potato and some spinach, and was arranging these delicacies with the
greatest care upon her plate, just smiled without raising her eyes. Amy
answered--

"I've seen her. I was there this afternoon. I can't say that I found
her very interesting. Plain-ugly in fact. She never opened her mouth
all the afternoon. Caroline Smith tells me that she knows nothing at
all, seen nothing, been nowhere. Bad-tempered I should think."

"Dear, dear," said Mr. Thurston with a gratified sigh, "is it so
reelly?"

Martin looked across at his sister indignantly. "Trust one woman about
another," he said. "Just because she doesn't chatter like a magpie you
concluded she's got nothing to say. It's even conceivable that she
found you dull, Amy."

Amy looked at him with a strange penetrating glance that in some
undefined way increased his irritation. "It's quite possible," she said
quietly. "But I don't think even you, Martin, can call her handsome. As
to her intelligence, she never gave me a chance of judging."

"I've been there several times," said Martin hotly. "I like her
immensely." He felt as soon a