laxed her stiff and starch manner in the presence of the Vicar, or of Mr. Bull, or any of the real gentry.

Katharine seemed to be wholly engrossed with the tea, and had just brought in a plate of light cakes as a centre-piece, when a shadow fell, as a voice was heard at the window, and the head of a woman filled the casement.

"Oh! is that you, Cousin Drusie ?" Katharine exclaimed. 'I'm glad you have come. Mr. Newton is late, and I am afraid the cakes will be cold."

"I am come to the service in the barn, Kathie; but I won't come in to tea."

"You shall come in, Cousin Drusie. I know father would wish it."

"Ah, child! but there are others besides your father to please. No, I don't expect a lace-maker to be considered fit company to sit at the board with Mr. Newton and-"

"And you, mother's own cousin. I never heard such nonsense! and you are a hundred times better than most people-better than anyone in this house."

Drusilla Allen smiled sadly as Katharine said this. The girl had gone to the open casement, and had kissed the calm, serious face, on which that smile had come and gone like a transient gleam of brightness on a piece of still water.

"Dear heart!" she said. "Dear child! I am often in supplication for you, that you may be brought to the knowledge of the love of Christ.

What do I say, the knowledge?-nay, it passeth knowledge."

"I wish to be good," Katharine said. "I wish to be good, Cousin Drusie, like you; but-"

"Like me! Nay, now, my dear one; say, rather, like Him who hath called me, and is even now calling thee."

Drusilla was interrupted here by the sound of a manly step. The swift colour came to her face, and releasing Katharine's hand which she had held, she was turning away, when a voice said:

"Whither away, Cousin Drusilla? You are come to tea, I hope ?"

"No, Robert; I thank you, I have no need of tea. I had my repast of milk and bread before I came. will go and take a seat in the barn, if it pleases you, Cousin Robert."

The miller, hearing his sister's voice in the parlour, did not press Drusilla to accept the invitation, and saying he must go indoors and make himself spruce, he turned away.

"Katharine, it's vulgar to talk out of window," Miss Perry said. "That's not the manners which Miss Perkins considered com i fow, I hope "-Miss Perry was very proud of her French expressions, of which this was one; "I should be shocked if the minister came upon you talking out of the window."

Katharine laughed, as well she might, for the next moment Mr. Newton himself was leaning on the window-ledge, and saying:

"Good evening to you, Miss Kate, and Miss Perry. I must crave pardon for asking a friend of mine to join me to-day. A young friend who is inquiring for something more satisfying than the bread which you dispense so plentifully and liberally. Why," Newton said, turning sharply round, "my young man has disappeared. It is the young Squire from Coltswood Manor."

Mr. Newton withdrew from the window, and recrossed the square yard upon which this side of the Mill House opened. He went to the gate and looked right and left, but Cuthbert was nowhere to be seen.

66

Well, he may please himself," he said. "Too proud, perhaps, to sit down with these good folks. Ah! for the pride of this human heart!"

But Mr. Newton was mistaken. Cuthbert was not too proud, but too shy to intrude himself at the miller's board, and he had stepped up to the barn, which was still empty. Not quite empty; for when Cuthbert looked round in the rather dim light, he saw the figure of a woman kneeling at one of the benches absorbed in prayer.

The sound of coming footsteps made Drusilla look up; but she did not start to her feet as some people would have done-nay, would do now, if they were suddenly found in an attitude of prayer. Cuthbert retreated to the wide door, and felt guilty of intrusion.

Presently Drusilla approached him and said :