"Done! Why, doffed thy hat, after the superstitious and idolatrous
custom of our fathers."

"How can it be idolatrous? 'Twas God's house," said Stead.

"Aye, there thou art in the gall of bitterness. Know'st thou not
that no house is more holy than another?" and Jeph would have gone on
for some time longer, but that he heard sounds which made him suspect
that someone had condemned the version of the Psalms as prelatical
and profane, and that his comrades might yet burst forth to visit
their wrath upon his young brother, whom he therefore proceeded to
lead out of sight as fast as possible into the Dean's garden, where
he had the entree as being orderly to Captain Venn, who, with other
officers, abode in the Deanery.

There, controversy being dropped for the moment, Stead was able to
tell his brother of his expedition, and how he had been obliged to
keep the child, for very pity's sake, even if her late father's
master had not begged him to do so, and given an earnest of the
payment.

Jeph laughed a little scornfully at the notion of a wild Cavalier
ever paying, but he was not barbarous, and allowed that there was no
choice in the matter, as she could not be turned out to starve. When
he heard that Stead had come with market produce he was displeased at
it not having been brought up for the table of his officers, assuring
Stead that they were not to be confounded with the roistering,
penniless malignants, who robbed instead of paying. Stead said he
always supplied Mistress Lightfoot, but this was laughed to scorn.
"The rulers of the army of saints had a right to be served first,