"I'll send Manuel to you presently," he said, putting down the bag
mechanically; "the servants are not back from church, it's some saint's
festival to-day."

"And so you keep a pack of lazy idolaters to leave your house to take
care of itself, whilst they worship graven images," said Ezekiel,
delighted at this opportunity to improve the occasion.

"If my memory isn't bad, Mr. Corwin," said Demorest dryly, "when I
accompanied Mr. Blandford home the night he returned from his journey,
we found YOU at church, and he had to put up his horse himself."

"But that was the Sabbath--the seventh day of the command," retorted
Ezekiel.

"And here the Sabbath doesn't consist of only ONE day to serve God in,"
said Demorest, sententiously.

Ezekiel glanced under his white lashes at Demorest's thoughtful face.
His fondest fears appeared to be confirmed; Demorest had evidently
become a Papist. But that gentleman stopped any theological discussion
by the abrupt inquiry:

"Did Mrs. Demorest say when she thought of returning?"

"She allowed she mout kem to-morrow--but--" added Ezekiel dubiously.

"But what?"

"Wa'al, wot with her enjyments of the vanities of this life and