reatures who were, in very deed, greeting the coming of their Lord with
those bright and glistening wreaths with which they were adorning His
sanctuary?

Angels' work! but the angels veil their faces and tremble; and we
upon earth have still greater cause to tremble and bow down in awful
reverence, when we are allowed to approach so near His shrine. And was
that spirit of holy fear--that sole desire for His glory--the chief
thought with these young people?

Not that there was what even a severe judge could call irreverence in
word or deed; there was no idle laughter, and the conversation was in a
tone and a style which showed that they were all well trained in respect
for the sanctity of the place. Even in all the helping up and down
ladders and steps, in the reaching over for branches, in all the little
mishaps and adventures that befell them, their behaviour was outwardly
perfectly what it ought to have been; and that is no small praise for
four young people, under seventeen, left in church alone together for so
many hours.

But still Beatrice's great aim was, unconsciously perhaps, to keep the
two boys entirely devoted to herself, and to exert her power. Wonderful
power it was in reality, which kept them interested in employment
so little accordant with their nature; kept them amused without
irreverence, and doing good service all the time. But it was a power of
which she greatly enjoyed the exercise, and which did nothing to lessen
the rivalry between them. As to Henrietta, she was sitting apart on a
hassock, very happy, and very busy in arranging the Monogram and wreath
which she had yesterday proposed. She was almost forgotten by the other
three--certainly neglected--but she did not feel it so; she had rather
be quiet, for she could not work and talk like Queen Bee; and she liked
to think over the numerous verses and hymns that her employment brought
to her mind. Uncle Geoffrey's conversation dwelt upon her too; she began
to realize his meaning, and she was especially anxious to fulfil his
desire, by entreating Fred to beware of temptations to disobedience.
Opportunities for private interviews were, however, very rare at Knight
Sutton, and she had been looking forward to having him all to herself
here, when he must wish to visit his father's grave with her. She was
vexed for a moment that his first attention was not given to it; but she
knew that his first thought was there, and boys never showed what was
upper