seemed to be trying to make music and melody.

And in the midst the grey-haired priest stood close to an ivy-covered
rock, with the white covered Altar, and the bright golden vessels
which he had carefully looked to in the night, and the little
congregation knelt close round him on cloaks and mats, the women
hooded, the old Cavalier's long thin locks, the merchant's dark ones,
and the close cropped heads of the servant and of Steadfast bared to
the morning breeze in its pure, dewy, soft freshness, fit emblem of
the Comforter. No book was produced, all was repeated from memory.
They durst not raise their voices, but the birds were their choir,
and as they murmured their _Gloria in Excelsis_, the sweet notes rang
out in that unconscious praise.

When the blessing of peace had been given there was a long hush, and
no one rose till after the vessels had been replaced in their casket,
and Stead was climbing up with it again to the hiding place. Then
there was a move to the front of the hut, where Rusha was just
awakening, and Emlyn feigned to be still asleep. It was not yet four
o'clock, but the sweet freshness was still around everything. Young
Mistress Alice Rivett and her brother were enchanted to gather
flowers, and ran after their hosts to see the cows milked, and the
goats, pigs, and poultry fed, sights new to them; but the elder
ladies shivered and were glad to warm themselves at the little fire
Patience hastily lighted, after cleaning the hut as fast as she
could, by rolling up the bedding, and fairly carrying Ben out to
finish his night's rest in the cow-house.

The guests had brought their provisions, and insisted that their
young hosts should eat with them, accepting only the warm milk that