ws to Constantia Caw, who languished up at
him with eyes each the size of a pigeon's egg. He even fetched Mr. De
la Poer to help in the task of proving to the two girls that there was
only one apostolic succession, and that they--Mr. Ralph Ablethorpe and
Cecil De la Poer--had it.

Mr. De la Poer was a tall, slim, lantern-jawed young man, with a dense
mass of straight black hair, which gave him the look of a popular actor
of the new Shakespearean Society, university extension sort. But for
all that he had strong views, Mr. Cecil De la Poer, in matters
connected with his profession. Not an ounce of hypocrisy about him any
more than the Hayfork. For instance, he confided to Miss Harriet Caw,
who up to that moment had listened to him with considerable sympathy,
real or assumed, that he was firmly resolved never to marry.

Whereupon the young woman got up in the most sprightly, stage
milkmaidish manner, caught her gown on both sides, swept him the
approved courtesy and sang--

"'Nobody axed you, sir,' she said, 'sir,' she said,
'sir,' she said;
'Nobody axed you, sir,' she said."

Then she went to her sister, and pretending to weep, took Constantia by
the hand, saying, "Come away, Stancy--it is all over. They won't marry
us--they have taken a vow not to!"

"I wish," said Constantia, looking severely at her sister, "that you
would not be so ridiculous. I was quite interested in what Mr.
Ablethorpe was telling me about--about the council of--council
of--whatever--it--was!"

Harriet had got hold of a handkerchief by this time, and was sobbing
most desolately into it. She had deftly taken it out of Mr. De la
Peer's tail pocket, where a bit of it generally showed.

"He says it is against the true faith," she said, pointing out the
culprit, who stood in an entirely correct attitude, though entirely
conscious that he was looking a fool. His hair fell about his brow in
dense masses, and he looked tragic.

"And I never asked him," continued Harriet; "I would scorn such an
action. I dare you to say that I did!"

The unhappy Mr. De la Poer was mute, as indeed he might well be, before
such treatment of his person and theories.

"And, O Constantia, it's all because we are two simple little London
girls," she said, "that they have been playing with our young
affections!"

Harriet heaved a sigh, and then swiftly turned on the culprit.

"And how about Peter's wife's mother, lying sick of a fever?" she cried