'Now, Arthur--do you hear?--you mustn't look at those horrid papers!'
Mrs. Barton whispered to her husband. 'We must pretend not to see them.
I wonder how Father Shannon can allow such a thing, making the house of
God into--into I don't know what, for the purpose of preaching robbery
and murder. Just look at the country-people--how sour and wicked they
look! Don't they, Alice?'

'Goodness me!' said Olive, 'who in the world can those people be in our
pew?'

Mrs. Barton trembled a little. Had the peasants seized the religious
possessions of their oppressors? Dismissing the suspicion, she examined
the backs indicated by Olive.

'Why, my dear, it is the Goulds; what can have brought them all this
way?'

The expected boredom of the service was forgotten, and Olive shook hands
warmly with Mrs. Gould and May.

'Why, you must have driven fifteen miles; where are your horses?'

'We took the liberty of sending the carriage on to Brookfield, and we
are coming on to lunch with you--that is to say, if you will let us?'
cried May.

'Of course, of course; but how nice of you!'

'Oh! we have such news; but it was courageous of us to come all this