does gathered round their lord to protect him, all swerving together
like a string of geese as they turned the corner of the shelter and
caught sight of Ralph; but the beaters were coming out now, whistling
and talking as they came, and gathering into groups of two or three on
the ground, for the work was done, and it had been hot going.

Mary Maxwell appeared presently on her grey horse, looking slender and
dignified in her green riding-suit with the great plume shading her
face, and rode up to Ralph whom she had seen earlier in the afternoon.

"My husband?" she enquired looking down at Ralph who was lying with his
hat over his eyes.

"He left me just now," said her brother, "very hot and red, after a stag
which he missed. That will mean some conversation to-night, Minnie."

She smiled down at him.

"I shall agree with him, you know," she said.

"Of course you will; it is but right. And I suppose I shall too."

"Will you wait for him? Tell him we are going home by the mill. It is
all over now."

Ralph nodded, and Mary moved off down the glade to join the others.

Ralph began to wonder how Nicholas would take the news of Chris'
decision. Mary, he knew very well, would assent to it quietly as she
did to all normal events, even though they were not what she would have
wished; and probably her husband would assent too, for he had a great
respect for a churchman. For himself his opinions were divided and he
scarcely knew what he thought. From the temporal point of view Chris'
step would be an advantage to him, for the vow of poverty would put an
end to any claims upon the estate on the part of the younger son; but
Ralph was sufficiently generous not to pay much attention to this. From
the social point of view, no great difference would be made; it was as
respectable to have a monk for a brother as a small squire, and Chris
could never be more than this unless he made a good marriage. From the
spiritual point of view--and here Ralph stopped and wondered whether it
was very seriously worth considering. It was the normal thing of course
to believe in the sublimity of the religious life and its peculiar
dignity; but the new learning was beginning to put questions on the
subject that had very considerably affected the normal view in Ralph's
eyes. In that section of society where new ideas are generated and to
which Ralph himself belonged, there were very odd tales being told; and
it was beginning to be thought possible