ampton was introduced to the present owner of the
pulpit under which they were standing.

"My lord," said the minister, "I am proud, indeed, to have the honour
of meeting your lordship in our new chapel, and of expressing to your
lordship the high sense entertained by me and my congregation of
your noble father's munificent liberality to us in the matter of the
land."

In saying this Mr. Puddleham never once turned his face upon the
Vicar. He presumed himself at the present moment to be at feud with
the Vicar in most deadly degree. Though the Vicar would occasionally
accost him in the village, he always answered the Vicar as though
they two were enemies. He had bowed when he came up the chapel, but
he had bowed to the stranger. If the Vicar took any of that courtesy
to himself, that was not his fault.

"I'm afraid we were a little too quick there," said Lord St. George.

"I hope not, my lord; I hope not. I have heard a rumour; but I have
inquired. I have inquired, and--"

"The truth is, Mr. Puddleham, that we are standing on Mr. Fenwick's
private ground this moment."

"You are quite welcome to the use of it, Mr. Puddleham," said the
Vicar. Mr. Puddleham assumed a look of dignity, and frowned. He could
not even yet believe that his friend the Marquis had made so fatal a
mistake.

"We must build you another chapel,--that will be about the long and
short of it, Mr. Puddleham."

"My lord, I should think there must be some--mistake. Some error must
have crept in somewhere, my lord. I have made inquiry--"

"It has been a very big error," said Lord St. George, "and it has
crept into Mr. Fenwick's glebe in a very palpable form. There is no
use in discussing it, Mr. Puddleham."

"And why didn't the reverend gentleman claim the ground when the
works were commenced?" demanded the indignant minister, turning now
for the first time to the Vicar, and doing so with a visage full of
wrath, and a graceful uplifting of his right hand.

"The reverend gentleman was very ignorant of matters with which he
ought to have been better acquainted," said Mr. Fenwick himself.

"Very ignorant, indeed," said Mr. Puddleham. "My lord, I am inclined
to think that we can assert our right to this chapel and maintain it.
My lord, I am of opinion that the whole hierarchy of the Episcopal
Established Church in England cannot expel us. My lord, who will be
the man to move the first brick from this sacred edifice?" And Mr.
Puddleham pointed up