I looked round, however, and saw him hurrying away
towards the Talfourds'." Wilkinson looked very fierce and warlike, and
attacked his food as if it were the obnoxious Rawdon.
"Cecile," said Miss Carmichael across the indignant dominie, "I told a
fib about you this morning, but quite innocently. I said you would not
be home to dinner."
"Neither I would, were it not that Mrs. Talfourd's sister came in after
church, and offered to stay with her the rest of the day. Whom did you
tell?"
"Your devoted friend, Mr. Perrowne."
Miss Du Plessis blushed a little, and the schoolmaster cut the clergyman
up several times and stuck his fork into him savagely. Then he commenced
a conversation with the Squire, into which the lady between them was
almost necessarily drawn. Mr. Nash edified Mrs. Carmichael; her
daughter conversed with the minister, to the latter's delight; while
Coristine divided his attentions between the hostess and Marjorie.
"What was Mr. Perrowne preaching on, Marjorie?" asked Mrs. Carruthers.
"Pillows on the ground," replied that young person.
Her cousin laughed, and came to the rescue, saying: "It was the Church,
the pillar and ground of the truth; Marjorie seems to associate all
English Church services with bedtime.
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