beautifully."

"Then will you really be kind enough to come to-morrow, and see what can
be done?"

"Yes, we will come as soon as ever breakfast is over, and work hard,"
said Queen Bee. "And we will make Alex and Fred come too, to do the
places that are out of reach."

"Thank you, thank you," said Mr. Franklin, eagerly; "I assure you the
matter was quite upon my mind, for the old lady there, good as she is,
certainly has not the best taste in church dressing."

"And pray, Mr. Franklin, let us have a step ladder, for I am sure there
ought to be festoons round those two columns of the chancel arch. Look,
papa, do you not think so?"

"You might put a twining wreath like the columns at Roslin chapel," said
her papa, "and I should try how much I could cover the Dutch cherubs at
the head of the tables of commandments."

"O, and don't you see," said Henrietta, "there in front of the altar
is a space, where I really think we might make the cross and 'I H S' in
holly?"

"But could you, Henrietta?" asked Beatrice.

"O yes, I know I can; I made 'M.L.' in roses on mamma's last birthday,
and set it up over the chimney-piece in the drawing-room, and I am sure
we could contrive this. How appropriate it will look!"

"Ah!" said Mr. Franklin, "I have heard of such things, but I had always
considered them as quite above our powers."

"They would be, without Henrietta," said Queen Bee, "but she was always
excellent as wreath weaving, and all those things that belong to choice
taste and clever fingers. Only let us have plenty of the wherewithal,
and we will do our work so as to amaze the parish."

"And now," said Uncle Geoffrey, "we must be walking home, my young
ladies. It is getting quite dark."

It was indeed, for as they left the church the sunlight was fast fading
on the horizon, and Venus was already shining forth in pure quiet beauty
on the clear blue sky. Mr. Franklin walked a considerable part of the
way home with them, adding to Henrietta's list by asking counsel about
a damp spot in the wall of the church, and on the measures to be adopted
with a refractory farmer.

By the time they reached home, evening was fast closing in; and at the
sound of their entrance Mrs. Langford and Frederick both came to meet
them in the hall, the former asking anxiously whether they had not been
lingering in the cold and damp, inspecting the clogs to see that they
were dry, and feeling if the fingers were cold. She then ordered the t