felt as if she were as entirely in her aunt's hands as Kunz and the
Sofy had been!

After the early dinner, which suited the invalid's health, Aunt Jane
said she would take Valetta and Fergus to go down to the beach with
the little Varleys, while she went to her district, leaving Gillian
to read to Aunt Ada for half an hour, and then to walk with her for a
quiet turn on the beach.

It was an amusing article in a review that Gillian was set to read,
and she did it so pleasantly that her aunt declared that she looked
forward to many such afternoon pastimes, and then, by an easier way
than the hundred and a half steps, they proceeded down the hill, the
aunt explaining a great deal to the niece in a manner very gratifying
to a girl beginning to be admitted to an equality with grown-up
people.

'There is our old church,' said Aunt Ada, as they had a glimpse of a
gray tower with a curious dumpy steeple.

'Do you go to church there!'

'I do---always. I could not undertake the hill on Sundays; but Jane
takes the school-children to the St. Andrew's service in the
afternoon.'

'But which is the parish church?'

'In point of fact, my dear; it is all one parish. Good morning, Mr.
Hablot. My niece, Miss Gillian Merrifield. Yes, my sister is come