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place。 You don't know that girl Ethel。 She began at fifteen；
entirely of her own accord； and has never faltered。 If any of the
children there are saved from perdition； it is owing to her； and I am
not going to be the man to stop her。 They are strong； healthy girls；
and I cannot see that it does them any harmrather good。〃
〃Have you any special predilection for a room eight feet by nine？〃
〃Can't be helped。 What would you have said if you had seen the
last？〃
〃What is this about one hundred and fifty pounds in hand？〃
〃The ladies here chose to have a fancy fair； the only result of
which； hitherto； has been the taking away my Flora。 There is the
money； but the land can't be had。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Tied up between the Drydale Estate and College； and in the hands
of the quarry master； Nicolson。 There was an application made to the
College； but they did not begin at the right end。〃
〃Upon my word； Dick； you take it easy！〃 cried his friend； rather
indignantly。
〃I own I have not stirred in the matter；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃I knew
nothing would come to good under the pack of silly women that our
schools are ridden with〃 and； as he heard a sound a little like
〃pish！〃 he continued； 〃and that old Ramsden； it is absolutely useless
to work with such a heador no head。 There's nothing for it but to
wait for better times； instead of setting up independent；
insubordinate action。〃
〃You are the man to leave venerable abuses undisturbed！〃
〃The cure is worse than the disease！〃
〃There spoke the Corporation！〃
〃Ah！ it was not the way you set to work in Poonshedagore。〃
〃Why； really； when the venerable abuses consisted of Hindoos praying
to their own three…legged stools； and keeping sacred monkeys in
honour of the ape Hanyuman； it was a question whether one could be a
Christian oneself； and suffer it undisturbed。 It was coming it too
strong； when I was requested to lend my own step…ladder for the
convenience of an exhibition of a devotee swinging on hooks in his
sides。〃
Dr。 Spencer had； in fact； never rested till he had established a
mission in his former remote station； and his brown godson； once a
Brahmin； now an exemplary clergyman； traced his conversion to the
friendship and example of the English physician。
〃Well； I have lashed about me at abuses； in my time；〃 said Dr。 May。
〃I dare say you have； Dick！〃 and they both laughedthe inconsiderate
way was so well delineated。
〃Just so；〃 replied Dr。 May； 〃and I made enemies enough to fetter me
now。 I do not mean that I have done rightI have not； but there is
a good deal on my hands； and I don't write easily。 I have been
slower to take up new matters than I ought to have been。〃
〃I see； I see！〃 said Dr。 Spencer； rather sorry for his implied
reproach； 〃but must Cocksmoor be left to its fate； and your gallant
daughter to hers？〃
〃The vicar won't stir。 He is indolent enough by nature； and worse
with gout； and I do not see what good I could do。 I once offended
the tenant； Nicolson； by fining him for cheating his unhappy
labourers； on the abominable truck system； and he had rather poison
me than do anything to oblige me。 And； as to the copyholder； he is a
fine gentleman； who never comes near the place； nor does anything for
it。〃
〃Who is he？〃
〃Sir Henry Walkinghame。〃
〃Sir Henry Walkinghame！ I know the man。 I found him in one of the
caves at Thebes； among the mummies； laid up with a fever； nearly
ready to be a mummy himself！ I remember bleeding himirregular； was
not it？ but one does not stand on ceremony in Pharaoh's tomb。 I got
him through with it； we came up the Nile together； and the last I saw
of him was at Alexandria。 He is your man！ something might be done
with him！〃
〃I believe Flora promises to ask him if she should ever meet him in
London； but he is always away。 If ever we should be happy enough to
get an active incumbent； we shall have a chance。〃
Two days after； Ethel came down equipped for Cocksmoor。 It was as
hot as ever； and Mary was ordered to stay at home； being somewhat
pacified by a promise that she should go again as soon as the weather
was fit for anything but a salamander。
Dr。 Spencer was in the hall； with his bamboo； his great Panama hat；
and gray loose coat； for he entirely avoided； except on Sundays； the
medical suit of black。 He offered to relieve Ethel of her bag of
books。
〃No thank you。〃 （He had them by this time）。 〃But I am going to
Cocksmoor。〃
〃Will you allow me to be your companion？〃
〃I shall be very glad of the pleasure of your company； but I am not
in the least afraid of going alone；〃 said she； smiling； however； so
as to show she was glad of such pleasant company。 〃I forewarn you
though that I have business there。〃
〃I will find occupation。〃
〃And you must promise not to turn against me。 I have undergone a
great deal already about that place。 Norman was always preaching
against it； and now that he has become reasonable； I can't have papa
set against it againbesides； he would mind you more。〃
Dr。 Spencer promised to do nothing but what was quite reasonable。
Ethel believed that he accompanied her merely because his gallantry
would not suffer her to go unescorted； and she was not sorry； for it
was too long a walk for solitude to be very agreeable； when strange
wagoners might be on the road； though she had never let them be
〃lions in the path。〃
The walk was as pleasant as a scorching sun would allow； and by the
time they arrived at the scattered cottages； Ethel had been drawn
into explaining many of her Cocksmoor perplexities。
〃If you could get the land granted； where should you choose to have
it？〃 he asked。 〃You know it will not do to go and say； 'Be pleased
to give me a piece of land；' without specifying what； or you might
chance to have one at the Land's End。〃
〃I see； that was one of the blunders；〃 said Ethel。 〃But I had often
thought of this nice little square place； between two gardens； and
sheltered by the old quarry。〃
〃Ha！ hardly space enough； I should say；〃 replied Dr。 Spencer；
stepping it out。 〃No； that won't do； so confined by the quarry。 Let
us look farther。〃
A surmise crossed Ethel。 Could he be going to take the work on
himself； but that was too wild a suppositionshe knew he had nothing
of his own； only a moderate pension from the East India Company。
〃What do you think of this？〃 he said； coming to the slope of a knoll；
commanding a pretty view of the Abbotstoke woods； clear from houses；
and yet not remote from the hamlet。 She agreed that it would do
well； and he kicked up a bit of turf； and pryed into the soil；
pronouncing it dry； and fit for a good foundation。 Then he began to
step it out； making a circuit that amazed her； but he said； 〃It is
of no use to do it at twice。 Your school can be only the first step
towards a church； and you had better have roomenough at once。 It
will serve as an endowment in the meantime。〃
He would not let her remain in the sun； and she went into school。
She found him； when she came out； sitting in the arbour smoking a
cigar…rather a shock to her feelings； though he threw it away the
instant she appeared； and she excused him for his foreign