girls' forethought and activity, which had saved her from a great
deal of fatigue.

The breakfast was quickly finished, and immediately afterwards the
four eldest Miss Woodbournes, together with Anne, went to the school
to see if the children were ready to go to church. It was pleasant
to see the smiling courtesying row of girls, each with her Prayer-
book in her hand, replying to Elizabeth's nods, greetings, and
questions, with bright affectionate looks, or a few words, which
shewed that they were conscious of the solemnity of the service in
which they were about to bear a part.

Elizabeth left her sisters and Anne to assist the school-mistress in
marshalling them on their way to church, and returned home to fetch
Edward and Winifred, whom she had engaged to take with her. She
found that nearly all the party were gone, and report said that the
Bishop had arrived at the house of Mr. Somerville, who was to be
curate of St. Austin's. Winifred and Edward were watching for her at
the door, in great dread of being forgotten, for they said, 'Papa had
come for Mamma, and fetched her away in a great hurry, and then
Harriet and Lucy set off after them, and Uncle Edward had taken Aunt
Anne long before to look at the church.' Elizabeth was rejoicing in
the prospect of a quiet walk with the children, and was only delaying
in a vain attempt to reduce the long fingers of Winifred's glove to
something more like the length of the short fingers of its owner,
when a sharp voice at the top of the stairs cried out, 'Wait for me!'
and Mrs. Hazleby appeared, looking very splendid in a short black
silk cloak trimmed with scarlet.

'Where have you been all this time?' said she to Elizabeth, while she