at the moment, and that it seemed to him as if his friend on the
other side of the fireplace had something to say from the look of his
face.

The member alluded to was a respectable churchwarden, with a sly chink to
one eyelid--possibly the result of an accident--and a regular attendant
at the Club meetings. He replied that his looks had been mainly caused
by his interest in the two ladies of the last story, apparently women of
strong motherly instincts, even though they were not genuinely staunch in
their tenderness. The tale had brought to his mind an instance of a
firmer affection of that sort on the paternal side, in a nature otherwise
culpable. As for telling the story, his manner was much against him, he
feared; but he would do his best, if they wished.

Here the President interposed with a suggestion that as it was getting
late in the afternoon it would be as well to adjourn to their respective
inns and lodgings for dinner, after which those who cared to do so could
return and resume these curious domestic traditions for the remainder of
the evening, which might otherwise prove irksome enough. The curator had
told him that the room was at their service. The churchwarden, who was
beginning to feel hungry himself, readily acquiesced, and the Club
separated for an hour and a half. Then the faithful ones began to drop
in again--among whom were not the President; neither came the rural dean,
nor the two curates, though the Colonel, and the man of family, cigars in
mouth, were good enough to return, having found their hotel dreary. The
museum had no regular means of illumination, and a solitary candle, less
powerful than the rays of the fire, was placed on the table; also bottles
and glasses, provided by some thoughtful member. The chink-eyed
churchwarden, now thoroughly primed, proceeded to relate in his own terms
what was in substance as follows, while many of his listeners smoked.

DAME THE FIFTH--THE LADY ICENWAY
By the Churchwarden

In the reign of His Most Excellent Majesty King George the Third,
Defender of the Faith and of the American Colonies, there lived in 'a
faire maner-place' (so Leland called it in his day, as I have been told),
in one o' the greenest bits of woodland between Bristol and the city of
Exonbury, a young lady who resembled some aforesaid ones in having many
talents and exceeding great beauty. With these gifts she combined a
somewhat imperious temper and arbitrary mind, th