"I beg your pardon, I'm sure, Mr. Walton! If you _will_ take offence--"

"I do take offence. And you know there is One who has given especial
warning against offending the little ones."

Miss Bowdler walked away in high displeasure--let me hope in conviction of
sin as well. She did not appear in church for the next two Sundays. Then
she came again. But she called very seldom at the Hall after this, and I
believe my wife was not sorry.

Now whether it came in any way from what that lady had said as to my wife's
trouble with Constance and Theodora together, I can hardly tell; but,
before I had reached home, I had at last got a glimpse of something like
the right way, as it appeared to me, of bringing up Theodora. When I went
into the house, I looked for my wife to have a talk with her about it; but,
indeed, it always necessary to find her every time I got home. I found her
in Connie's room as I had expected. Now although we were never in the habit
of making mysteries of things in which there was no mystery, and talked
openly before our children, and the more openly the older they grew, yet
there were times when we wanted to have our talks quite alone, especially
when we had not made up our minds about something. So I asked Ethelwyn to
walk out with me.

"I'm afraid I can't just this moment, husband," she answered. She was in
the way of using that form of address, for she said it meant everything
without saying it aloud. "I can't just this moment, for there is no one at
liberty to stay with Connie."

"O, never mind me, mamma," said Connie cheerfully. "Theodora will take care
of me," and she looked fondly at the child, who was lying by her side fast