life, and the girl's lack of personal beauty, and her unfortunate
physical condition, awoke a medley of love, pity and protection in
the heart of this strange woman.



CHAPTER VIII



The Baroness had always been a churchgoing woman, yet she had never
united with any church, or subscribed to any creed.

Religious observance was only an implement of social warfare with
her. Wherever her lot was cast, she made it her business to discover
which church the fashionable people of the town frequented, and to
become a familiar and liberal-handed personage in that edifice.

Judge Lawrence and his family were High Church Episcopalians, and the
second Mrs Lawrence slipped gracefully into the pew vacated by the
first, and became a much more important feature in the congregation,
owing to her good health and extreme desire for popularity. Mabel
and Alice were devout believers in the orthodox dogmas which have
taken the place of the simple teachings of Christ in so many of our
churches to-day. They believed that people who did not go to church
would stand a very poor chance of heaven; and that a strict
observance of a Sunday religion would ensure them a passport into
God's favour. When they returned from divine service and mangled the
character and attire of their neighbours over the Sunday dinner-
table, no idea entered their heads or hearts that they had sinned