writing desk of Mr. Churchouse, upon which stood a photograph of Goethe.

Tea was laid and a girl brought in the hot water when Mr. Churchouse
rang for it. After she had gone Raymond praised her enthusiastically.

"By Jove, what a pretty housemaid!" he exclaimed.

"Pretty, yes; a housemaid, no," explained Mr. Churchouse. "She is the
daughter of my housekeeper, Mrs. Dinnett. Mrs. Dinnett has been called
to Chilcombe, to see her old mother who is, I fear, going to die, and so
Sabina, with her usual kindness, has spent her half-holiday at home to
look after me. Sabina lives here. She is Mrs. Dinnett's daughter and one
of the spinners at the mill. In fact, Mr. Best tells me she is his most
accomplished spinner and has genius for the work. In her leisure she
does braiding at home, as many of the girls do."

"She's jolly handsome," declared Raymond. "She's chucked away in a place
like this."

"D'you mean 'The Magnolias'?" asked the elder mildly.

"No, not 'The Magnolias' particularly, but Bridetown in general."

"And why should Bridetown be denied the privilege of numbering a
beautiful girl amongst its population?"

"Oh--why--she's lost, don't you see. Working in a stuffy mill, she's
lost. If she was on the stage, then thousands would see her. A beautiful
thing oughtn't to be hidden away."