the land of romance; in her heart also Juliet's flame had burned. A
succession of vivid pictures of her girlhood passed before her: of
the garden, of the farmyard and the cattle in it, of the river, of
the pollard willows sloping over it, of Barton Sluice covered with
snow--how still it was at that moment--the dog has been brought
inside because of the cold, and is asleep in the living-room--her
father, is he awake? the tall clock is ticking by the window, she
could hear its slow beats, and as she listened she fell asleep, but
was presently awakened by the bells proclaiming the birth in a
manger. She remembered that Mrs. Poulter had to be called at seven
that she might go to an early service. She hastily put on her
clothes and knocked at the door, but Mrs. Poulter decided that, as
it was freezing, it would not be safe to venture, and having ordered
a cup of tea in her bedroom at half-past eight, turned round and
fell asleep again.

It was a busy day. The lodgers, excepting Miss Everard, went to
church in the morning, but Miss Toller and Helen had their hands
full. In the afternoon Miss Toller was obliged to tell Helen the
unpleasant news.

'I don't want to go, but I must not offend them.'

'But you ARE going?'

'I can't get out of it.'

Helen did not speak another word. About half-past six Miss Toller
put on her best clothes and appeared in the dining-room. Helen
punctually served the dinner. A seat was allotted to Miss Toller at