e strange carriage. One of them was seated in a
chair by the counter, another was reading a list which Mr Elsworthy
had just presented to her, and the third, who was not so tall as her
sister, was pressing up to it on tiptoe, trying to read it too. "That
is Miss Dora Wentworth," said Lucy, "and the other, I suppose, is Miss
Leonora, who is so very Low-Church. I think I can see the Miss
Hemmings coming down George Street. If I were to go in I should be in
a dreadful minority; but you are Low-Church in your heart too."

"No, dear; only reasonable," said Miss Wodehouse, apologetically. "I
don't go as far as you and Mr Wentworth do, but I like the service to
be nicely done, and the--the authority of the Church respected too. As
I have never met Miss Wentworth, you had better come in and introduce
me. There is Rosa looking out of the front window, Lucy. I really must
speak to Mrs Elsworthy about that child. What a lovely old lady that
is sitting by the counter! Say I am your sister, and then if you are
resolved upon Prickett's Lane, you can go away."

"They are the two who wear the grey cloaks," said Miss Leonora
Wentworth to herself, as the introduction was effected. "I am glad to
make your acquaintance, Miss Wodehouse. We are going to stay in
Carlingford for a time, and to know a few pious families will be a
great advantage. We don't go much into society, in the usual sense of
the word--but, I am sure, to make the acquaintance of ladies who help
my nephew so much in his work, is sure to be an advantage. I should
like so much to hear from you how he gets on, for he does not say a
great deal about it himself."

"He is so good and so nice," said kind Miss Wodehouse, "he never makes
a fuss about anything he does. I am sure, to see such young creatures
so pious and so devoted, always goes to my heart. When we were young
it used to be so different--we took our own pleasure, and never
thought of our fellow-creatures. And the young people are so good
nowadays," said the gentle woman, falling instinctively into her
favourite sentiment. Miss Leonora looked at her with critical eyes.

"We are none of us good," said that iron-grey woman, whose neutral
tints were so different from the soft dove-colour of her new
acquaintance; "it does not become such sinful creatures to talk of
anybody being good. Good works may only be beautiful sins, if they are
not done in a true spirit," said Miss Leonora, turning to her list of
furnished house