wed Miss Beatrice up between the rows of pews that lady seeming
to take her into moral custody; while, seeing himself the aim of several
pairs of eyes, including those of Mr Chute, Mr William Forth Burge,
Miss Burge, and above all, those of Miss Lambent, which literally
flashed at him, Archibald Graves nodded shortly, turned upon his heel,
and tried to march carelessly out of church; but his easy motions were
terribly full of restraint.

"I was not aware that Miss Thorne would be so soon having friends," said
Miss Lambent; but her remark elicited no reply, for Mr William Forth
Burge and his sister both felt troubled, the schoolmaster angry, and all
too much preoccupied with the appearance of Hazel Thorne as she passed
into the chancel, and through a bar of brilliant colour cast by the sun
from the new stained-glass window, which had been placed in the south
end of the chancel in memory of the late vicar, the effect being very
strange, seeming to etherealise Hazel; though for the matter of that the
same effect would have been seen, had it been noticed, in connection
with Miss Beatrice, who had led the way, drawing aside the curtain that
hung in front of the vestry door, and tapping softly with her knuckles.

"Come in!"

Very simple words, but they set Hazel's heart beating, as, in a whisper
full of awe, but at the same time very distant and cold, Miss Beatrice
said:

"You may go in now."

As she spoke she drew back, holding the curtain for Hazel to pass; and
trying to master her emotion, the latter raised the latch and entered
the vestry.

The vicar was standing with his hat in hand, gazing out of the little
window at the cheerful prospect of a piece of blank old stone wall,
surmounted by a large waterspout, and though he must have heard the door
open and close, he did not turn, but stood there as stiff and
uncompromising of aspect as his sisters.

He had seen Hazel Thorne twice before, but in a gloomy room in London;
and being of rather a preoccupied turn of mind, he had paid so little
heed to her personal appearance that he would hardly have recognised her
again. A new mistress had been required, and the customary
correspondence had taken place; he had called at the institution, asked
a few questions, and there was an end of the matter, the strong
recommendations of the lady-principal being sufficient for the
engagement to be decided on.

Hazel stood waiting for him to turn round, but the Reverend Henry
Lam