the steep lane that led to
the small church whose square grey tower and carved Norman doorway
looked out across the green cliff-side to the sea.

"Father was sketching here yesterday," volunteered Claudia, pausing to
peep in at the gateway.

"What was he painting?" asked Lorraine, stopping also to look and
admire, for the mellow October sunshine glinting on the grey walls and
the autumn-clad trees and the gleaming sea made a picture all in russet
and pearl.

"It's one of a series of illustrations for Matthew Arnold's poem, 'The
Forsaken Merman'. You know it, don't you? Well, this is 'the little grey
church on the windy hill', where Margaret came to say her prayers. You
remember she left her merman husband and her children in 'the clear
green sea' because--

''T will be Easter time in the world--ah me!
And I lose my poor soul, Merman, here with thee.'

She promised to come back to them all, but she never came, so they went
to look for her.

'From the church came a murmur of folk at their prayers,
But we stood without in the cold-blowing airs.
We climbed on the graves, on the stones, worn with rains,
And we gazed up the aisle through the small leaded panes.
She sate by the pillar; we saw her clear:
'Margaret, hist! come quick, we are here.'"

"That's the part Daddy's drawing--just where they're peeping in through
the windows. He sketched Lilith this morning for the youngest mermaiden;
he's given her a little fish's tail, and she looks such a darling! And
Beata and Romola are bigger ones, leaning on a gravestone with their
arms round each other's neck, and garlands of shells in their hair, and
Constable is holding up a great trail of sea-weed. Father's going to
draw me as Margaret for one illustration; I'm to be sitting at my wheel
'in the humming town'. He's just bought a ducky little spinning-wheel on
purpose!"

"What fun to be put in a picture!"

"No, it isn't! We all think it a horrid nuisance to have to be Daddy's
models and sit still for hours just when we want to do something else.
But you'll like the merman picture, especially Lilith. She's really
sweet!"

"You've seen the mermaid carved on the chancel bench inside?" asked
Lorraine.

"No, I haven't. I've not been to the church on week-days."

"I go sometimes. Mr. Jacques lets me practise on the organ," said
Morland. "But I've never noticed any mermaid there."

"Oh, come in and look at her, then! She's worth s