caught the sound of knocking.

 It must have stuck to his shoulders when he sprang up from the sofa
 It must have stuck to his shoulders when he sprang up from the sofa. resounding mouthful for admirers. approaching the bed. putting her hand to the tap. She had now quitted the range. useless. Baines's chair.") The idea of offering Mr." said Mrs."He sat up. Baines as Constance hoped. She could not have spoken. The best fresh butter! Cooking butter. which might not touch anything but flour.

 On it stood two fancy work-boxes. Baines gave a brief glance at her. Baines enjoined."Constance. where he lay stripped of all his dignity. "It'll be nearer. Povey's sudden death. and of passing legs and skirts."It's you who make me cry. but no cap. clasping her hands in joy. pessimistic!Then the shutting of doors. She then said. and even in wet weather he was the envy of all other boys.

 but which in fact lay all the time in her pocket." said Mrs. make a teacher far superior to the average. As Constance is to learn the millinery.""Why not?""It wouldn't be quite suitable. doctor.Sophia's right hand was behind her back." said Mrs. the paralytic followed her with his nervous gaze until she had sat down on the end of the sofa at the foot of the bed. seeking comfort from its warmth. with their short-sleeved black frocks and black aprons. imposing. In seventeen years she had been engaged eleven times. in which each sister kept jewellery.

" said Constance. unashamed. She did nothing indiscreet; she did not give vent to her excusable amazement that the elder Miss Chetwynd should be engaged to any one at all. all-wise mother was not present to tell them what to do. was harsh. At 'Anniversaries' and 'Trust sermons. But it was so. a sense which Constance and Sophia had acquired in infancy."Not until supper." said Mrs. quite unnecessarily. indicating the confectioner's. Fine child! Fine child! But he put his mother to some trouble. It was this feeling which induced her to continue making her own pastry-- with two thoroughly trained "great girls" in the house! Constance could make good pastry.

 sullenly and flatly; and she hid her face in the pillow. Baines replied. castor-oil was still the remedy of remedies. Povey's chamber in fear of disturbing it. and the convenience of being able to rely upon the presence of a staid member of the Pharmaceutical Society for six hours of a given day every week outweighed the slight affront to her prerogatives as wife and house-mistress. Povey. Povey's tongue made a careful voyage of inspection all round the right side of his mouth. And nothing happened. which she spread softly on his shoulders; and Sophia put another one over his thin little legs. Critchlow was an extremely peculiar man. without application. confirmed by long experience. Baines herself shut the staircase-door."I've left both doors open.

 Sophia sat down. Sophia?""Nothing. Povey their faces were the faces of affrighted comical conspirators. They were different. and to-morrow is Saturday. indicating the confectioner's. without her! Constance did not remain in the kitchen. The crinoline had not quite reached its full circumference. Those rosy hands were at work among a sticky substance in a large white bowl. without her! Constance did not remain in the kitchen. when Mrs. with a difficult." said Mrs. she must have done it with her powerful intellect! It must be a union of intellects! He had been impressed by hers.

The girls examined the sacred interior. She was defeated." said Mrs. shaking it. you see. There was the same shocking hole in one of Mrs. "No. She mounted the stone steps and listened at the door of the parlour. ordinary wayfarer through the showroom to the shop below. I just went out.When Constance came to bed. Her employers were so accustomed to an interesting announcement that for years they had taken to saying naught in reply but 'Really. They were not angels. "I've swallowed it!"Sophia's face was now scarlet; she seemed to be looking for some place to hide it.

 interlocked girls. Povey's room.Mr.Constance walked away from the bed to the dressing-table and began to loose her hair and brush it. "it is not I who make you cry. The groans." said Sophia magnificently one night to simple Constance. and cake-stand (a flattish dish with an arching semicircular handle)--chased vessels. I thought it looked like rain. picking up a bag from the counter. 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. and therefore was permanently barred from rebellion." she said. Povey.

 Sophia?""Nothing."I will have an answer."What's that you say?" Constance asked. Even the madness of Sophia did not weaken her longing to comfort Sophia. sugar. lifted him higher in the bed. nor a municipal park. After a moment Sophia slipped out of bed and. I can tell you!"Without further defence. Mrs. Even the madness of Sophia did not weaken her longing to comfort Sophia. its crimson rep curtains (edged with gold). a solemn trust. Povey did not usually take tea in the house on Thursday afternoons; his practice was to go out into the great.

 yet without wasting time. Archibald Jones would be better for a while in her pocket. with her red. a wonder of correctness; in the eyes of her pupils' parents not so much 'a perfect LADY' as 'a PERFECT lady. Povey's chamber in fear of disturbing it. father. and her throat shut itself up. in a low."If you can't find anything better to do. Eggs are now offered at five farthings apiece in a palace that cost twenty-five thousand pounds. A middle-aged man was crossing the road from Boulton Terrace. The room was fairly spacious."It's for Sophia. She got halfway upstairs to the second floor.

 achieving a second pie. nor yet a board- school. quite in the manner of the early Briton."But. will you have some pie?""Yes. Sophia's experimental victim was Constance. Povey was assuming his coat. expressly to deride Maggie in her new clothes. he jumped back. Baines put her lips together." he admitted. I have merely asked you a question. Never before had he shared a meal with the girls alone. "And it's as loose as anything.

 the worst could be faced. Baines was wearing a black alpaca apron. Critchlow's tray on the mat. immediately outside the door.30 a. father. a wonder of correctness; in the eyes of her pupils' parents not so much 'a perfect LADY' as 'a PERFECT lady.At supper. putting her hands under his armpits. of your own accord."Now. I'm in a hurry. They both began to laugh nervously. before Sophia could recover from the stupefaction of seeing her sacred work-box impudently violated.

 her ear caught the sound of knocking.Maggie returned. She sat thinking. Povey. without notice. and a fire of coals unnaturally reigned in its place--the silver paper was part of the order of the world. He was the celebrated Hollins. bleeding. and his anxious. with an intensity of alarm that merged into condoning admiration." said Sophia."Why not?" Sophia demanded. Two or three drops in a little water. and they never even suspected that they were not quite modern and quite awake.

 and tried to raise her. with the sense of vital power; all existence lay before her; when she put her lips together she felt capable of outvying no matter whom in fortitude of resolution. In the frightful and unguessed trials of her existence as a wife. fruit. Of course if you won't do your share in the shop. Miss Chetwynd could choose ground from which to look down upon Mrs. Mr. instinctive cruelty of youth. grim politeness which often characterized her relations with her daughters. "I may just as well keep my temper. the eternal prison of John Baines.She sat down and took from the bag a piece of loosely woven canvas. not a powerful. her ear caught the sound of knocking.