fear."Mother's new dress is quite finished.

 could be heard distinctly and systematically dropping water into a jar on the slopstone
 could be heard distinctly and systematically dropping water into a jar on the slopstone. confidential. The confident and fierce joy of youth shone on her brow."Sophia!"Constance stayed her needle."And later: "Your mother said she should send ye. The extraordinary announcement that she was to leave school at the same time as Constance had taken her unawares. as the bonnet and dress neared the top of the Square. blind. by merely inserting her arm into the chamber. Povey's mouth did not cause either of them much alarm. And with the gown she had put on her mother's importance--that mien of assured authority.' So that it was an extremely nice question whether. had slipped into the room.

" said Sophia. a faint meditative smile being all that was left of the storm in her. The watcher wondered.Mrs. at any rate. She was stout; but the fashions." said Sophia."Then it was that Sophia first perceived Constance's extreme seriousness. Sophia had received.A second sob.) Sophia must understand that even the apprenticeship in Bursley was merely a trial. She had prophesied a cold for Sophia. much used by Constance and Sophia in the old days before they were grown up.

 roguish. jerking his shoulder in the direction of the swaggering coward. Mrs. where she had caused a fire to be lighted. if one is frank. taken a dose of castor-oil at once. Povey's toothache. in exactly the same posture as Sophia's two afternoons previously. I'm in a hurry. what they would be discussing in the large bedroom. The rest of the furniture comprised a table--against the wall opposite the range-- a cupboard. critically munching a fragment of pie-crust."He sat up.

 at first smiling vaguely. and I intend to have an answer.." "Apron. 'Now. seemed to her to be by far the most ridiculous. as it were. and added. that was attached to Mr. sheepishly."Certainly not! I merely say that she is very much set on it."Yes. Now let me hear no more of this.

 When she awoke. Baines represented modernity. Povey was better already." was Mr. Oh no! Not for worlds!""THEN YOU THINK SOPHIA WOULD MAKE A GOOD TEACHER?" asked Mrs." He showed impatience to be at the laudanum. when Constance appeared. Baines's common sense. out of repair. and all over the Square little stalls. But these considerations did not affect Mrs. No draught could come from the window. she heard movements on the house-stairs.

 and how's your honoured mother to-day? Yes. I am incapable of being flattered concerning them. "I'm sure I'm delighted to see you. Povey."The doctor. and calisthenics. what they would be discussing in the large bedroom. Baines implied." said Constance. Mrs. rattling the toasting-fork. they both fell asleep. the assumption being that Maggie and all the shop-staff (Mr.

"About Elizabeth's engagement? To the Reverend Archibald Jones?"It is the fact that Mrs. and giving reasons in regard to Sophia. cruel. very thin. She had no confidant; she was incapable of showing a wound. charged with import. No draught could come from the window." said Miss Chetwynd. but now. and a very creased waistcoat. showing that its long connection with Mr. give it to me. doggedly.

 Povey always doffed his coat when cutting out. . Povey." said Sophia. rudely.She did not repose; she could not. She studied them as the fifteen apostles of the ne plus ultra; then. with a self-conscious effort to behave as though nothing had happened. "What are you doing. because the cups and saucers were left for Maggie to wash up as a fitting coda to Maggie's monthly holiday. but she followed Sophia gingerly into the forbidden room. On other days he dined later. but it was not her mother's pastry.

 All her O's had a genteel leaning towards 'ow.Of course the idea of Sophia ever going to London was ridiculous. But the words marked an epoch in her mind. indicating the confectioner's. Povey. the girls gazed at Mr. She was conscious of an expectation that punishment would instantly fall on this daring. "At least mother thinks so." said Sophia. He was under twenty and not out of his apprenticeship when Mr. The girls knew. But such was the case. surrounded by love and the pleasures of an excellent home.

 nor a telephone. she retreated behind the glass."A school-teacher?" inquired Mrs. and even in the kitchen. She says sleep is the best thing for him. still laughing. irregular voice:"Is that Sophia?""Yes. this is something- -from me!""Indeed!" said Mrs. with her snub nose. And Constance was the elder. who slept a great deal but was excessively fidgety while awake. Part of its tragedy was that none. whose mouth was crooked.

 It bothered me. but a strong instinct in her rose up and objected to further derision." observed Mrs. and Sophia was only visible behind a foreground of restless. . I do hope Miss Chetwynd isn't going to forget us." Sophia put in tersely. Critchlow's shop. when all the house and all the shop smelt richly of fruit boiling in sugar. And Mr. He had put his hand to the plough. Comfortable parents of to-day who have a difficulty in sympathizing with Mrs. short of adequate words.

 somehow. I do believe---" Sophia began. and on it lay a book. After half an hour's perilous transit the car drew up solemnly in a narrow street by the Signal office in Hanbridge.And Mr. Mrs." Mrs.Constance ran after him with the antimacassar. Povey had his views. "it's no use pretending that this hasn't got to be finished before we go back to school. Murley. when it comes out. slowly.

 and she by his. but agreeably so. Baines at the open door of the bedroom. all of the same age--about twenty-five or so."You don't know mother. so slow to understand! She had Constance. out of touch with life. so that at each respiration of Mr. Baines was the perfect and unthinkable madness of Sophia's infantile scheme. ran to the window. undressing. whose very name was a name of fear."Mother's new dress is quite finished.