ead that, not making great progress with
the sane of the neighbourhood, he might perhaps have better luck with
Miss Aphra and her private asylum!

"And I must say that he had. The processions and peacock screamings
went on, but there was an end of skulls and little coffins and
crossbones knocked together like cymbals as they marched. Instead,
they had tables with crucifixes, and confessionals, and all sorts of
paraphernalia in gold lace and tags. Mr. Ablethorpe (that was the
High-Churchman's name) was pleased and proud. Four at once, sane or
insane, was an unprecedented increase to his scanty flock. And as for
him everything depended upon the proper taking of the sacraments, it
was all right. Honorine and the rest would take them, or anything
else, twenty times an hour.

"But in addition there was 'confession,' and you may be sure I went
carefully into that business with Miss Aphra. However, she reassured
me.

"'These poor ones' (so she always named her sisters, Honorine, Camilla,
and Sidonia) 'know nothing about it. And as for me, I confess only
what will not endanger the shelter of the roof which covers us.
Because of that I am willing, for some time longer, to retain
unconfessed and unforgiven sin on my soul!'

"This sounded all right to me. But, fool that I was, as usual my
confiding nature put me in danger. If I had suspected that some day
that same Mr. Ablethorpe, whom I had received and warmed like a snake
in my bosom, would carry off not only Honorine and her two mad
companions to one of his patent sisterhoods (even Aphra herself
fleeing, probably to join them later) leaving me (as I am at present)
alone with Jeremy to face the storm--well, I would have nipped in the
very bud the propagation of erroneous and Romanist doctrines. I have
always been conscientiously opposed to these in any case!

"It was the increasing waywardness of the entire Orrin family which
threatened to be the ruin of all my carefully planned scheme. If only
I could have kept them as I first got them--Jeremy docile and
comparatively easy of influence even in his hours of wildness, Aphra
sage and wise in counsel, with a firm hand over the others, and all
that property of Deep Moat Grange so excellently laid out, as if on
purpose for our operations!

"But, alas! Folly no more than wisdom will stand still. If only they
had been like my web, full of subtle combinations and devices which
none could work out in full beauty sav