de every arrangement she could
require. Having supplied her from her own wardrobe, she took away the
conventual garments, which Mr Franklin with infinite satisfaction
carefully packed up and sent with a note, couched in legal phraseology,
to the Lady Superior, requesting that Miss Maynard's property might be
sent back by return. "I don't suppose we shall get it," he remarked to
his cousin; "but it is as well to see what her ladyship has to say about
the matter."

Late in the evening a note arrived from the Lady Superior, who had to
assure Mr Franklin that she possessed nothing belonging to Miss
Maynard, who was well aware that any articles brought into the convent
became the property of the community, and that all secular dresses were
immediately disposed of as useless to those devoted to the service of
the Church.

"I call it a perfect swindle," observed Mrs Lawson, who was not an
admirer of convents. "Miss Maynard tells me she took two trunks full of
summer and winter clothing. She had not a notion before she went to the
convent how she was to dress or what she was to do."

"I am afraid, notwithstanding, that we cannot indict the Lady Superior
as a swindler, whatever opinion we may secretly form of her," answered
Mr Franklin, laughing. "I daresay that Miss Maynard will soon be able
to replace her loss. We would rather not have her adventure made
public, except for the sake of a warning to others."

Miss Lawson, whose garments fortunately fitted Clara, begged that she
would take such as she might require until the dressmaker could forward
those which had been ordered. The next morning, heartily thanking Mr
Franklin and his relations, Clara and the general set off for
Cheltenham. It was not to be expected that Clara would at once recover
her spirits and serenity of mind; but fortunately they had the carriage
to themselves, and thus the general had an opportunity of further
explaining the subjects he had touched on on the previous day. As he
never was without his Bible, he was able to refer to that, and to point
to many texts which of late Clara had heard sadly perverted, or which
had been carefully avoided. He explained to her the origin of the whole
Romish system, and showed her how identical that of the Ritualists was
with it; the great object being to exalt and give power to a priestly
caste, who, pretending to stand between God and the sinner, thus obtain
power over the minds and property of their fell