Having dined, all went forth to enjoy the evening upon the lawn. The
men smoked; Annabel had her little table with tea and coffee. Paula
had brought out a magazine, and affected to read. Annabel noticed,
however, that a page was very seldom turned.

'Have you seen Mrs. Ormonde lately?' Mr. Newthorpe asked of
Egremont.

'I spent a day at Eastbourne before going to Jersey.'

'She has promised to come to us in the autumn,' said Annabel; 'but
she seems to have such a difficulty in leaving her Home. Had she
many children about her when you were there?'

'Ten or twelve.'

'Do they all come from London?' asked Annabel.

'Yes. She has relations with sundry hospitals and the like.
By-the-by, she told me one remarkable story. A short time ago out of
eight children that were in the house only one could read--a little
girl of ten--and this one regularly received letters from home. Now
there came for her what seemed to be a small story-paper, or
something of the kind, in a wrapper. Mrs. Ormonde gave it her
without asking any questions, and, in the course of the morning,
happening to see her reading it, she went to look what the paper
was. It proved to be an anti-Christian periodical, and on the front
page stood a woodcut offered as a burlesque illustration of some
Biblical incident. "Father always brings it home and gives it me to