and her housekeeper disagreed. It had nothing to do

e times considered that she was entitled to speak with

ritish father had done much to form her character, her Eurasian mother had instilled certain opinions to which she firmly adhered. One fixed belief, as strong as any article of her faith, was that every woma

ttract in dress or manner. She was content to wear the same dinner-dress that served when she and her brother were alone; and she did not hesitate to allow Dr. Wenaston to absorb all the conversation if he chose, remaining silent through the dinner and perhaps through the whole evening as well. This was altogether a mistake, as Mrs. Hulver tried in v

made. Mrs. Hulver devoted her attention to the catering; and with the assistance of Ramachetty and the cook sent in such meals as elicited the guest's warm approval. In the evening as she

d by a wave of annoyance as she thought of the enhanced bazaar account and all the trouble she had been put to in devising dainty coo

by and by, when his head is less full of

ance and general bearing that when he makes his choice, it will fall on a la

, but ridicule was like a red hot iron, and she shrank into herself. Eola s

esn't take my fancy, nor do I take his; so

"Gladly would I see you go as I went myself to the arms of a husban

another laugh that she f

of marriage and never shall. I am si

broke in upon her spee

it. As William-that was my second-used to say: 'Humble wedlock is better than proud singleness. Marriage is like a good pair of boots to a woman. It will carry her through fair weather and foul. If the boots wear out before

," protested Eola. "Don't say you are not

was my third-used to say when I gave him a talking to: 'Lay it on mild, me dear. Truth is like a mustard plaster. It may be very good for the patient but you've g

ot married him," said Eola, with a twinkl

te easy. All I had to be careful about was to prevent anything from coming to his knowledge that was not up to

restored her tranquillity of mind, and she left Eola to

gain. It so happened that a man came to act for six months whilst the permanent Assistant Resident was away on leave. He was unmarried, musical, and a great read

ll three on the subject. The Assistant Resident ate such dinners at the college house as he never forgot; but the way to his heart in his case was not through the stomach. Over the music and books he made a certain amount of progress; and had he seen any respo

remarked Mrs. Hulver, austerely, the morning after

ill," was the i

has to receive a lot of company; and a house w

sistant has a v

r. Fressenden doesn't

column of figures given her by the butler that morning. "I make

. He may think that he is, for God deals out vanity with a liberal hand when a boy is born. But with a middle-aged man there are other considerations at the back of a woman's mind besides love; like houses, for instance." She br

ll I think Ramachetty is right, a

eople might have said it was five; but that was

down her pen. "You were telling me about your first husband. It

me or speak disrespectfully as country-born people are apt to do when they lose their tempers. It's a very powerful thing in our sex, is the tongue. I'm sure I don't know what we poor women would do without it. As William-that was my third-used to say: 'The tongue is a wonderful

was highly favoured by the housekeeper since Delaine, her first husband, had been a subordinate in that same service. With renewed hope she

t speaking; and Mrs. Hulver in her vexation could not refrain f

ught to have a wife. Mr. Fearing is just throwing away his opportunities by keep

riage has no attraction

unthinkable. Choice was another matter; many an individual deferred making his choice for reasons that might be good or indifferent,

ey are trained on an object.' You haven't had an occasion to train yours yet on to marriage. Now in my case they've been trained all my life on matrimony, and I can speak with knowledge and experience. If a man tells you that he doesn't want to get married, you may take

er took herself off to her sanctum at the back of the house with the near

of labour. He seemed immune to the effects of bad water, coarse food, poisonous mosquitoes and a tropical sun. His exemption was not obtained by disregard of the conditions of Indian life up-country. On the contrary he observed the greatest care in safe-guarding himself by the use

, by no means an irreligious man, did his best to persuade the other from-as he put it-throwing himself away on the co

his friend that going to India as a missionary would prove his own salv

faith, a marvellous system of philosophy with a crafty degenerate priesthood. Doesn't the mere thought of it stir your blood and make you tingle to be up and fighting? Grafting upon the obs

either understand nor account for; but some instinct made him hold his peace. If the man was right, well and good; if he proved wrong, he would find it out

hirapore he was asked if he would accept it. Until that moment he had not thought of going to the East. His sist

his way, but that did not matter. The holiday was the more complete since there was no duty within reach. The missions he superintended were in British territory, beyond the borders of the native state. He would have established work of some sort in Chirapore, but he was not encouraged to do so by his society nor by the Government of the State. The society already had more than enough irons in the fire with an open field in British India clamouring for yet more wor

e India Christianised, his indefatigable and unceasing sacrifice of self, appealed to the instinctive hero-worship that is implanted in every woman's breast; bu

d the services of the dirzee to mend and patch and darn. She was puzzled more than a little when she found that Alderbury paid no particular attention to the food, and ate sparingly, with a distinct inclination towards daintiness. As for his wardrobe it was in better condition in some respects and needed less attention than the Doctor's. Not a sock required darning; not a coat needed stitching; and what was more, his clothes were not only new and none the worse for wea

him at least one complete day's rest, so essential sometimes to the worker for whom Sunday is the busiest day of the week. How intensely the man enjoyed that day his hosts had li

own easy chair and her brother's; nor how she watched him when, carried away by excitement, he pulled himself forward and even sprang to his feet the better to emphasise what he had to say. As he stood before them, speaking to the Doctor, but often turning his deepset eyes upon Eola, the girl thought of St. Paul. By what mysterious force was he driven? What fire was it that kindled in his eyes as he talk

e was more needful in the mission house than anywhere else. But the missionary's wife belonged, in her opinion, to quite another class. She did not know where the wives were bred. They were endowed with many admirable virtues, and were eminently suited to be helpers to their worthy husbands in proselytising among the heathen; b

for instruction; both bungalow and compound were haunted with mild-looking converts in white muslin; their

, asked Mrs. Hulver, with raised eyebrows, "a missionary's lady" at a race meet or at a Government House ball? Miss Wenaston belonged to the cla

of people in their way. I often

p?" asked Eo

belief that they are do

e were slightly shocked. The half-formed doubt occasionally slipp

hat is apt to stagger one. It's like trying to empty a tank with a teaspoon. However, as William-that was my second-used to say when I was down-hearted about the way anything was going: 'You lay your brick and lay it sound and leave the rest to others. No man ever built a church steeple all by himsel

e them there," suggested Eola, who read

must be, so to speak, born to it. It's not a job that would suit you, miss. As William-that was my third-said when he heard that the Chaplain was going to marry the Colon

Eola, turning the conversation from a subject sh

up to them in the middle of the pujah and said: 'Boys, you're all going to hell that way.' One of them that served the Presbyterian minister spoke up and said: 'No sar! It's the Roman Catholics that are going

od of him to ma

the praise and approbation of

thing, loyal to his God and his King;