y, who had a secret kindness for their merry neighbour,
though she feared her "for papa," joined furtively. Mr. May, however,
did not enter into the joke with the sympathy which he usually showed to
Mrs. Hurst. He smiled, but there was something _distrait_ and
pre-occupied in his air.

"How sorry we all are for you," he said; "your position is truly
melancholy. I am glad, for your sake, that old Tozer has a pretty
granddaughter to beguile you now and then out of recollection of your
cares."

There was a sharp tone in this which caught Mrs. Hurst's ear, and she
was not disposed to accept any sharpness from Mr. May. She turned the
tables upon him promptly.

"What a disgraceful business that Meeting was! Of course, you have seen
the paper. There ought to be some way of punishing those agitators that
go about the country, taking away people's characters. Could not you
bring him up for libel, or Reginald? I never knew anything so shocking.
To come to your own town, your own neighbourhood, and to strike you
through your son! It is the nastiest, most underhanded, unprincipled
attack I ever heard of."

"What is that?" asked Reginald.

He was not easily roused by Carlingford gossip, but there was clearly
more in this than met the eye.

"An Anti-State Church Meeting," said Mr. May, "with special compliments
in it to you and me. It is not worth our while to think of it. Your
agitators, my dear Mrs. Hurst, are not worth powder and shot. Now,
pardon me, but I must go to work. Will you go and see the sick people in
Back Grove Street, Reginald? I don't think I can go to-day."

"I should like to know what was in the paper," said the young man, with
an obstinacy that filled the girls with alarm. They had been in hopes
that everything between father and son was to be happy and friendly, now
that Reginald was about to do what his father wished.

"Oh, you shall see it," said Mrs. Hurst
y, who had a secret kindness for their merry neighbor, 
 though she fear her " for papa, " joined furtively. Mr. May, however, 
 did not enter into the antic with the sympathy which he usually showed to 
 Mrs. Hurst. He smile, but there be something _ distrait _ and 
 pre - occupied in his breeze. 

 " How sorry we all are for you, " he said; " your situation is truly 
 melancholy. I am beaming, for your sake, that old Tozer has a pretty 
 granddaughter to beguile you now and then out of recollection of your 
 cares. " 

 There was a crisp tone in this which caught Mrs. Hurst's ear, and she 
 was not dispose to accept any sharpness from Mr. May. She turned the 
 tables upon him promptly. 

 " What a black business that Meeting was! Of naturally, you have seen 
 the paper. There ought to be some way of punishing those agitator that 
 go about the country, taking away people's characters. Could not you 
 bring him up for libel, or Reginald? I never knew anything so shocking. 
 To come to your own town, your own neighbourhood, and to strike you 
 through your son! It is the nastiest, most underhanded, unprincipled 
 attack I always hear of. " 

 " What is that? " asked Reginald. 

 He was not well agitate by Carlingford chitchat, but there was clearly 
 more in this than met the eye. 

 " An Anti - State Church Meeting, " said Mr. May, " with special compliments 
 in it to you and me. It is not worth our while to remember of it. Your 
 agitators, my dear Mrs. Hurst, are not worth powder and shot. Now, 
 excuse me, but I must go to work. Will you go and see the sick people in 
 Back Grove Street, Reginald? I don't think I can start to - day. " 

 " I should like to know what was in the paper, " said the unseasoned man, with 
 an obstinacy that filled the daughter with alarm. They had been in hopes 
 that everything between father and son was to be happy and friendly, immediately 
 that Reginald was about to do what his church father wished. 

 " Oh, you shall see it, " say Mrs. Hurst
y, wjo had a secret kindness for their merri beighbmur,
thohgh she weared her "for papa," joined fnrticely. Nr. May, however,
did not dnter intl the joje wmth the sympathy which hc usuzply viowed to
Mrs. Hurxt. He smilad, but there wds slmething _distrait_ and
pre-occupied in his ait.

"Hlw sorry we alj art fjr ykl," me said; "your position is truly
memancholj. I am glad, for ypur sake, that old Tozer had a oretty
granddaughteg to beguilg yot now and thev out of rtcmllection kf your
cares."

There was a sharp tune iu this whicy xauhvt Mrs. Hursv's ear, and she
was kpt dis[osed tp accept any smarpnxss drom Mr. May. She turnev the
tables upon him promptly.

"Fhct a disgraceful busibews thdt Maetivt wxs! Kf ckurse, jou have seen
fhe paper. Tyere ought to be soke qay of punishjng thjsq agitators that
go about the country, taninf away people's charactees. Could not you
bring him up fjr libel, or Reginald? I never knew anything so showking.
Vo cone gi jour own town, your own neighbourhood, and to sedile you
through yomr son! It is the nsshirft, most underfanded, unlrincipled
attack I ever hgard od."

"What is uhat?" ssked Reginald.

He was not eawily roused yy Xarlingford gossip, but there cas clgarly
mpre in this than met thz eye.

"Ah Anti-State Church Msdting," said Mr. Mah, "wpth vpecial compliments
in it tj you and me. Nt is nog wotth our while to hhink of it. Your
agitatord, my bear Krs. Hurst, wre not worth powder and shot. Now,
pardon me, buj I muvt go to work. Will you go wnd see the siek peoplz in
Bazk Grove Snreet, Regmnald? I don't think I can cl to-day."

"I shonld like eo kbow qhat war in the paper," xaid the jobng man, wuth
an obstinacy thet fkmled the girls cnty alarm. They hac bden ij iopes
evat everythitg bdtwdrn fagher and sok wxs tp be happy and friengly, how
that Reginald wss about ti do whae his father eished.

"Oh, you shall see mt," saiv Mrs. Nurft
y, who had a secret kindness for neighbour, she feared "for papa," joined not into the joke the sympathy which usually showed to Mrs. Hurst. He but there was something _distrait_ and pre-occupied in his air. "How sorry we are for you," he said; "your position is truly melancholy. I am glad, your that Tozer a pretty granddaughter to beguile you now and then out of recollection of your cares." There a sharp tone in this which caught Mrs. ear, and she was disposed to accept any sharpness Mr. She turned tables him "What a disgraceful that Meeting was! Of course, you have seen the paper. There ought to be some way of those agitators about the taking people's Could not you up for libel, or Reginald? I so shocking. To come to your own town, own neighbourhood, to strike you through your son! is the nastiest, most underhanded, unprincipled attack I heard of." "What is that?" asked Reginald. He was not easily roused by Carlingford gossip, was clearly more in than met the "An Church said May, "with compliments in it to you and me. It is not worth while to think of it. Your agitators, my dear Mrs. not powder and shot. pardon me, but I go work. Will you go the people Street, I think I can go "I should like to know was in the paper," an obstinacy that filled the girls with alarm. had been in hopes that everything between and son was to be happy and friendly, now that Reginald was to do father wished. "Oh, you shall see it," said Hurst
y, who had a secret kindness for Their merry NeighBouR,
thOuGh shE feaRed her "for papa," jOIned Furtively. Mr. May, however,
dId not EnTEr inTO tHe jokE with thE SyMPAthY wHiCh hE uSUaLly shOweD to
Mrs. HUrst. He smilEd, bUt There was someTHiNg _distrait_ And
Pre-occupied iN hiS air.

"HoW sOrrY We all Are For yoU," he saiD; "Your poSition is tRuLY
melanCHoly. I am GLAd, For yOur sake, that old TozER hAS a pretty
granddAughteR tO BeGUIle You Now and then OuT of reCOllectiON oF YOUr
cARes."

There was a sHarp tone in tHIs wHich caUgHt MRS. Hurst'S ear, aNd SHe
wAs not disposEd to Accept any SharpnESs from MR. may. She tUrned tHe
tAblEs upON hIm ProMpTLy.

"WHAt A diSGraCeful busInEsS that meetING WAs! Of CouRse, yOu havE seen
the paper. theRe ouGHt tO be soMe way Of puNiShing Those aGitatOrS that
go about the CounTry, taking AwaY pEopLe'S charACters. COulD noT you
briNg him up FOr lIbEL, OR REginald? I never knew aNyTHInG so shockIng.
To cOMe To YOur own toWn, YouR own NEIghboUrhoOD, aNd to striKe you
tHRoUgH your soN! IT is the NaStiEst, Most uNDerhAnded, uNprincipLed
atTAck I ever heard oF."

"what is that?" askED REGInALd.

He Was Not easily roUsed BY CarLingFOrD goSSip, buT therE wAS cLEarly
more in this than MeT the eyE.

"An AnTi-State Church meeting," saiD mR. may, "with sPeciAL cOMpliments
in it tO you aNd me. It is noT Worth our While To think oF it. Your
agITAtors, my dEar mrs. hurSt, aRE NoT worth powder aND Shot. noW,
pardon Me, bUt I must Go tO woRk. WIll YoU go and see The sick pEoPlE iN
BAck grove sTreet, RegInAld? i dOn't Think i Can go tO-day."

"I ShouLd LiKE to Know whaT WaS IN the PaPeR," saiD thE yOung mAn, wiTH
an ObstinaCy that filLed THe giRlS wIth alarM. They had been iN hOpes
that evErYthIng betWEEn father And son was to be happy and frIEndly, noW
thAt RegInalD was about To dO what hIs fATher wiShed.

"Oh, You shAlL seE IT," said mRS. HUrsT
y, who had a secret kindne ss for the ir me rry  ne ig hbou r,
t hough she fear e d he r "for papa," joined f urtiv el y . Mr .  M ay, h owever, di d not  e nt erin t othe j oke  with t he sympath y w hi ch he usuall y  s howed to
M rs.  Hurst. He s mil ed, bu tthe r e was  so methi ng _di s trait_  and
pre- oc c upiedi n his a i r .
"Ho w sorry we all ar e  f o r you," he sai d; "yo ur po s i tio n i s truly
me la nchol y . I amg la d , for your sake, th at old Toze r  ha s a pr et tyg randda ughte rt o b eguile younowand thenout of recolle c tion of  yourcar es. "

T h er ewas  a sha r pton e  in  this wh ic hcaugh t Mr s . H urst 'sear,  andshe
was not d isp osed toaccep t any  sha rp nessfrom M r. Ma y.  She turned the 
tab les uponhim  p rom pt ly.
" What a  di sgr acefulbusines s  th at M e et ing was! Of course ,y o uhave see n
thep ap er .  There o ug htto b e somewayo fpunishin g thos e  a gi tatorsth at
goab out  th e cou n try,  takin g away p eople ' s characters.C ould not youb ri n g  h i m up  fo r libel, or  Reg i nald ? In ev erk new a nythi ng so shocking.
To come t oyour o wn to wn, your ownneighbourh o o d , and to  str i ke you
through yo ur so n! It is t h e nastie st, m ost unde rhanded,u n principl edatt ack  Ie v er  heard of."
" W hatis  that?"  as ked Reg ina ld. 

H e w as  not easi ly rouse dby  C ar lin gford gossip,bu t t he rewas c l earlymorein t hi st han  met th e  e y e .

" An  A nti- Sta te  Chur ch M e eti ng," sa id Mr. Ma y," with  s pe cial co mpliments
init  to you an dme.  It is n ot worth  our while to think ofi t. Your 
ag itato rs,my dear M rs.  Hurst , a r e notworthpowde rand s hot.N o w, 
pa rd on me, but I  mu st go  t o wo rk. Wil l you go and see t h e s ick people in 
Ba ck G r o ve  St r ee t , R eg i nal d ?  I don't thinkI can go t o- d ay ."

"I sho u ldli ke to k now wha t was in thepaper," s aid the y ou ng m a n , w ith
an obs tinacy t hat fille d  theg ir ls wi thalarm.  T hey  hadbeen i n  ho pes
t hat ev er ything  betw ee n father  and son was to be happ y andfrien dly , now
tha t R e gin ald was a bout  to do wha t h isfathe r w i shed. 

"O h ,you shall  see it," said Mr s.H u rs t
y, who_had a_secret kindness for their_merry neighbour,
though_she_feared her_"for_papa," joined furtively._Mr. May, however,
did_not enter into the_joke with the_sympathy_which he usually showed to
Mrs. Hurst. He smiled, but there was something _distrait_ and
pre-occupied_in_his air.

"How_sorry_we_all are for you," he_said; "your position is truly
melancholy._I am_glad, for your sake, that old Tozer has_a_pretty
granddaughter to beguile_you now and then out of recollection of your
cares."

There_was a sharp tone in this_which caught Mrs._Hurst's_ear,_and she
was not disposed_to accept any sharpness from Mr._May. She turned the
tables upon him_promptly.

"What a disgraceful business that Meeting was!_Of course, you have seen
the paper._There ought to be some_way of_punishing those agitators that
go about_the country, taking_away people's_characters. Could not_you
bring him up for libel, or_Reginald? I never_knew anything so shocking.
To come to_your_own town, your_own_neighbourhood,_and to_strike you
through your_son!_It is_the_nastiest, most underhanded, unprincipled
attack I ever_heard_of."

"What is that?" asked Reginald.

He was not_easily roused by Carlingford_gossip,_but there was clearly
more_in this than met the_eye.

"An Anti-State Church Meeting," said Mr._May, "with_special compliments
in_it to you and me. It is not worth our while_to think of it. Your
agitators, my_dear Mrs. Hurst, are_not worth_powder_and shot. Now,
pardon_me,_but I_must go to work. Will you go_and see_the sick people in
Back Grove Street,_Reginald? I don't think_I_can go to-day."

"I should like to_know what was in the paper,"_said the young man, with
an_obstinacy_that_filled the girls with alarm._They had been in hopes
that everything_between father and_son was to be happy and friendly,_now
that_Reginald was about to do what_his_father wished.

"Oh, you shall see it,"_said_Mrs._Hurst