d Mrs. Gresley.

"Maybe not, mem, maybe not. But when I come up when red cow was sick at
four in the morning, or maybe earlier, there was always a light in her
winder, and the shadder of her face agin the blind. Yes, she do work
precious hard."

Mrs. Gresley retreated into the house, picking her way over the debris
of the porch. At any other time its demise would have occupied the minds
of the Vicarage household for days. But, until this moment, it had
hardly claimed the tribute of a sigh. Mrs. Gresley did sigh as she
crossed the threshold. That prostrate porch meant expense. She had
understood from her husband that Dick had wantonly torn out the clamp
that supported it, and that the whole thing had in consequence given way
under the first snowfall. "He meant no harm," Mr. Gresley had added,
"but I suppose in the Colonies they mistake horse-play for wit."

Mrs. Gresley went back to the drawing-room, and sat down to her
needle-work. She was an exquisite needlewoman, but all the activity of
her untiring hands was hardly able to stem the tide of mending that was
for ever flowing in upon her. When was she to find time to finish the
darling little garments which the new baby required? Fraeulein had been
kind in helping, but Fraeulein's eyes are not very strong, or her
stitches in consequence very small. Mrs. Gresley would have liked to sit
in the school-room when lessons were over, but Fraeulein had been so
distant at luncheon about a rissole that she had not the courage to go
in.

So she sat and stitched with a heavy heart awaiting her husband's
return. The fly was another expense. Southminster was ten miles from
Warpington, eleven according to the Loftus Arms, from which it issued,
the owner of which was not on happy terms with his "teetotal" vicar. Yet
it had been absolutely necessary to have the fly, in order that Regie,
who so easily caught cold, might return in safety.

The dusk was already falling, and more snow with it.

It was quite dark when Mrs. Gresley at last caught the sound of wheels,
and hurried to the door.

Mr. Gresley came in, bearing Regie, fast asleep in a fur rug, and laid
him carefully on the sofa, and then went out to have an altercation with
the driver, who demurred in forcible language to the arrangement,
adhered to by Mr. Gresley, that the cost of the fly should be considered
as part payment of certain arrears of tithe which in those days it was
the unhappy duty of the clergyman to collect