eam sewing-machine is nothing to us when we choose! What do you think
we are going to do? We are going to decorate the church for Christmas.
To leave it to that poor little old clerk, who would only stick two
holly twigs in the pulpit candlesticks, and fancy he had done a work of
high art, would be madness. And, besides, it will be such fun."

"If you think it so, pray do it, dear," laughed Mrs. Vivian. "I can't
say I should, but your tastes and mine are probably rather different.
The servants will do as you direct them."

"Oh no," said Cecil; "we mean to do it all ourselves. The gentlemen may
help us if they like--those, at least, who prefer our society to that of
smaller animals, with lop-ears and little bushy tails, who have a
fascination superior sometimes to any of our attractions." She flashed a
glance at the Colonel, who was watching her over the top of _Punch_, as,
when I was a boy, I have watched the sun, though it pained my eyes to do
it. "You're the grand seigneur of Deerhurst," said Cecil, turning to
him; "will you be good, and order cart-loads of holly and evergreens
(and plenty of the Portugal laurel, please, because it's so pretty) down
to the church; and will you come and do all the hard work for me? The
rabbits would _so_ enjoy a little peace to-day, poor things!"

He smiled in spite of himself, and did her bidding, with a flush of
pleasure on his face. I believe at that moment, to please her, he would
have cut down the best timber on the estates--even the old oaks, in
whose shadow in the midsummer of centuries before Guy Vivian and Muriel
had plighted their troth.

The way to the church was through a winding walk, between high walls of
yew, and the sanctuary itself was a find old Norman place, whose _tout
ensemble_ I admired, though I could not pick it to pieces
architecturally.

To the church we all went, of course, with more readiness than we
probably ever did in our lives, regardless of the rose chains with which
we were very likely to become entangled, while white hands weaved the
holly wreaths.

Vivian had ordered evergreens enough to decorate fifty churches, and had
sent over to the neighboring town for no end of ribbon emblazonments and
illuminated scrolls, on which Cecil looked with delight. She seemed to
know by instinct it was done for _her_, and not for his sisters.

"How kind that is of you," she said, softly. "That is like what you were
in Toronto. Why are you not always the same?"