CHAPTER III.

"The appearance of a stranger in a country church draws as

many gazers as a blazing star."

The Beaux Stratagem.

MALLETT church stood at the top of

St. Kit's Hill, at about an equal dis

tance from the dwelling-place of any one of its scattered congregation. The toilsome roads leading to it were exposed, the hills were steep; yet neither the weakly nor the aged ever grumbled as Sunday after Sunday they wearily plodded along, for who among them had not some one, whose heart had been or would be cheered by the sight of its grey old tower, which served

as a beacon, and was hailed with joy and thankfulness by all good seamen ? Strangers had been heard to say they wondered at a church being built up there; but this remark met with no sympathy from the Malletters, who asked, "Why, for goodness' sake, should it ha' bin put elsewhere than so that the dear blids to sea could catch sight on it, and know they was close home? Why, even the furriners could see the sense o' its placing, as was shown by the painted winder one of 'em had put up a hundred years gone by a great, hooge man acarryin' a infant child on his back. Then there was a headstone, with a carved ship a-top, so far back as 1560, showin' that the church was standin' there then. There was some went so far as to say 'twas the 'rection of a Popish lady for the restin' o' her son's sawl after his body was washed ashore close by. If so, many a sailor had had cause to

bless her mem'ry since, and wives and mothers too, so 'twas to be hoped, any rate, her was at rest, sawl and body too."

Thus viewed, one began to forget the architectural deficiencies of the mottled, weather-stained old building, with its disproportionately high tower, up to which the people looked with loving familiarity as each Sunday morning they lingered under its shadow, waiting until the cracked tinkle of the bell should stop before they entered the church itself. The present rector, Mr. Jago, had never attained to the degree of popularity enjoyed by Mr. Despard; and the older folk, especially, were glad of any opportunity afforded for a disparaging comparison.

"Mr. Despard was as reg'lar as clockwork," said one of the old men, with a shake of the head. "Never no waitin' for he."

"No," answered Mrs. Collins, the butcher's wife; "nor no keepin' o' dinners waitin' neither. Our'n was stone cold last Sunday, through standin' in Inch's bakehouse. Mr. Jago ain't a-goin' to tell me he don't know the hour folks's dinners is drawed at; and 'taint much good preachin' does anybody, when their thoughts is set upon the meat bein' dried up to a stick."

"He should keep the long-winded uns for the arternoon, missis," laughed one of the hearers.

"Ah, well, he might keep 'em to hisself, and I shouldn't be no wus pleased; for with dinners at twelve, by four yer inside's ready for yer cup o' tay; and so you'd a chance o' gettin' it in ole Mr. Despard's time, and I don't suppose anybody'll contend but what he know'd how to do the right thing by us so well as passon Jago, who's for everlastin' at the fire and brim

stone, so that it makes anybody's blood run cold. I'd so lief go down to Pethewick's, only I don't hold with meetin's, and such like -it's contrary to sense to fancy that folks as is in the grocery, any more than any other shopkeepin' line, can know so much o' religion as gentlefolks, who've nothin' else to do. Besides, it 'ud go agin my grain to sit under one o' my own sort-not a bit of it. I likes to have my say so well as they."

This truism gave rise to a general laugh, in the midst of which the tinkle-preparatory to the five minutes' ringing, when the rector came in sight-stopped, and they all began bustling into church, where the Joslyns, Miss Despard, Hero, the Captain, and the few small farmers about, were already seated.

There was no cause of complaint against Mr. Jago on this day, for the congregation