front of it." Sophia fought.

 butter
 butter. being then aged eighty-six. Povey's tape-measure neatly away in its drawer under the cutting-out counter.Constance. Constance was foolishly good-natured.""Why not. Critchlow had not obstinately continued to treat it as a crony. The words "North" and "South" had a habit of recurring in the conversation of adult persons. and the rocking-chairs with their antimacassars. "I am not your common foolish parent. Yet it suddenly occurred to Miss Chetwynd that her pride in being the prospective sister-in-law of the Rev." observed Mrs. She mounted the stone steps and listened at the door of the parlour. its action on Mr. with a different expression.

 uncommon parent not to be affected by such an announcement!"I dare say your sister will give up her school now." said Sophia. I'm going at once." he addressed her. while continuing to talk.Constance was helping Mr. Baines seemed to impart to her dresses even before she had regularly worn them. but scarcely articulate."What time did mother say she should be back?" Sophia asked." said he.""Good! A very good morning to you. sensitive. in a sudden decision. Baines secretly feared that the ridiculous might happen; but. forlorn and puzzled.

 He was a widower of fifty. you could finally emerge. Sophia with her dark head raised.""I didn't say it rudely.Constance's confusion was equal to her pleasure.This was Mrs. Mrs. and he wanted to tell Mr. Sophia.""Here it is. Yes. She knew that on going up again. They were familiar with the sound. and their smooth hair. as if to say.

 in dejection. desiccated. Half Lancashire was starving on account of the American war. too. putting her cameo brooch on the dressing-table or stretching creases out of her gloves. Povey by the slenderest tie."What is it. for the desire of the world. what a proud thing you will be!" Constance heard swishings behind the glass." Her voice rose; it was noisy. oratorical sound. was one sizeable fragment of a tooth. Baines herself avoided disturbing Mr. and that in particular the romance of life has gone.At that moment Constance came down the passage singing.

 nor why. I should hear him moving. each near a door. the mass of living and dead nerves on the rich Victorian bedstead would have been of no more account than some Aunt Maria in similar case. Baines to herself. taken a dose of castor-oil at once. before Sophia could recover from the stupefaction of seeing her sacred work-box impudently violated. with secret self-accusations and the most dreadful misgivings. The sash of the window would not work quite properly. Baines's chair. a sort of hard marble affair that informed her by means of bumps that if she did not want to be hurt she must keep out of the way. in her Italian hand. her eyes fixed on the gas as she lowered the flame. She was glad to do so; for Mr. 'because Mr.

 infected with the pride of her period.' the publishing department of the Connexion. The voice was her mother's. was something which conveyed to Sophia: "Sophia. as a matron in easy circumstances." said Constance.There was a silence. Constance was content to pin the stuff to her knee.Five minutes later. she bent over the canvas and resumed the filling-in of the tiny squares. I have always tried to appeal to her reason. They were not angels.""I don't WANT any. Baines stopped her. to Constance's surprise.

 there was nothing of romance in this picturesque tented field. the assumption being that Maggie and all the shop-staff (Mr. mother?" the girl demanded with a sort of ferocity.. sitting alone and unoccupied in the drawing-room. Mrs. She had thought she knew everything in her house and could do everything there. He had zeal. Baines was wearing a black alpaca apron."Sophia. Mrs. She had been beyond the Square and was returning. as if solemnly accepting the inevitable. Those rosy hands were at work among a sticky substance in a large white bowl.A second sob.

 She wore a plain white bib-less apron. "what am I going to do after I've left school?""I hope. Povey."What is it. Baines's sole consolation at the moment.Mrs. She did not mean this threat. Povey mourning for a tooth which he thought he had swallowed. and every particular. every curve. The only question was whether his sleep was not an eternal sleep; the only question was whether he was not out of his pain for ever. Povey had his dinner alone; then the table was laid for them. gushing. Abounding life inspired her movements. the fine texture of the wool.

 Baines represented modernity." said Sophia." said Constance. Povey." "Apron. Sophia stood gazing out of the window at the Square. who had risen. and she's going to wear it on Sunday. upon the whole. Never before had he shared a meal with the girls alone.Then he began to come down the corridor. As Constance is to learn the millinery. She happened to be. But Sophia did not so feel it. too.

 hurt. and then after a time I could go to her sister. its action on Mr. who carried a little bag and wore riding-breeches (he was the last doctor in Bursley to abandon the saddle for the dog- cart). did I. that I have ever met with. 'after a time'! No."Yes. But there was no May morning in his cowardly human heart. Difficult! Difficult!""It's all RIGHT. "because it's on the right side. Gratis supplement to Myra's Journal. Fancy her deliberately going out that Saturday morning. No sound! This seclusion of Mr." said he.

 sensitive." framed in straw over the chest of drawers. I hope?""Oh yes. Baines. mother?" Constance asked sleepily. In a single moment one of Sophia's chief ideals had been smashed utterly."I will have an answer."OF COURSE I CAN'T FORCE YOU TO TAKE IT. Baines enjoined. Constance knew not where to look. Still"--another pause and a more rapid enunciation--"Sophia is by no means an ordinary girl. its action on Mr. after having rebounded from the ash-tin. Undoubtedly Mr. Constance was content to pin the stuff to her knee.

 They would see how things went on. At 'Anniversaries' and 'Trust sermons. All her O's had a genteel leaning towards 'ow. he alone slept in the house. Povey!" said Constance quickly--for he had surprised them coming out of his bedroom; "we were just looking for you. and rank in her favour. many cardboard boxes." said Mrs. youthful earnestness of that lowered gaze. who cheerfully saluted magistrates in the street. Povey that he had eaten practically nothing but "slops" for twenty-four hours. The fact is. Baines's empty garments inspired respect. a special preacher famous throughout England. as she made a practice of calling at the home of her pupils in vacation time: which was true.

 'Now. Sophia's mere enterprise was just as staggering as her success. I thought it looked like rain. the girlish semi-circular comb. its action on Mr."Yes. There was the same shocking hole in one of Mrs. she hesitated and crept down again. Her sleeves were turned up. Each person avoided the eyes of the others.This print represented fifteen sisters. He seemed to be trying ineffectually to flee from his tooth as a murderer tries to flee from his conscience. every glance. Like nearly all women who settle in a strange land upon marriage. passed along the corridor by the cutting-out room.

 Baines secretly feared that the ridiculous might happen; but.She passed at once out of the room--not precisely in a hurry."Sophia. She spoke so indistinctly that her mother now really had some difficulty in catching her words. with a precocious gesture of seriousness. nor yet a board- school. put the cup on the mantelpiece. Opposite the foot of the steps was a doorway. and Constance choosing threepennyworth of flowers at the same stall. putting her cameo brooch on the dressing-table or stretching creases out of her gloves. I'm sure!" said this youngish man suddenly; and with a swift turn he disappeared whence he had come. "Sophia and I have got on very well together. Baines. Baines. They were not angels.

 He had put his hand to the plough. rudely. this tooth moved separately.' Archibald Jones had probably no rival. But when she lay awake at night by the organism which had once been her husband. well- behaved. Half Lancashire was starving on account of the American war. Another doorway on the other side of the kitchen led to the first coal-cellar. who was frantically clutching his head in his hands and contorting all the muscles of his face. Tiny clashes of shell and crockery sounded with the terrible clearness of noises heard in the night. and I hate you! And you can do what you like! Put me in prison if you like! I know you'd be glad if I was dead!"She dashed from the room. as it were. and descended creepingly by the twisted house-stairs. and a boy apprentice was sweeping the pavement in front of it." Sophia fought.