"I think we'd better drop the subject, Sophia," said Julia loftily.

   "But I don't want to drop the subject!" exclaimed Mrs. Maybury. "I don't want you to think that the Doctor would—"

   "I can't help what the Doctor did. I think cards are wicked! And that's enough for me!"

   "Well!" cried Mrs. Maybury, then in great dudgeon. "I'm not a member of the old East Church in good and regular standing for forty years to be told what's right and what's wrong by any one now!"

   "If you're in good and regular standing, then the church is very lax in its discipline, Sophia; that's all I've got to say."

   "But, Julia, things have been very much liberalized of late years. The minister's own daughter has been to dancing-school." The toss of Julia's head, and her snort of contempt only said, "So much the worse for the minister's daughter!"

   "Nobody believes in infant damnation now," continued Mrs. Maybury.

   "I do."

   "O Julia!" cried Mrs. Maybury, for the moment quite faint, "that is because," she said, as soon as she had rallied, and breaking the dreadful silence, "you never had any little babies of your own, Julia." This was adding insult to injury, and still there was silence. "I don't believe it of you, Julia," she continued, "your kind heart—"

   "I don't know what a kind heart has to do with the immutable decrees of an offended deity!" cried the exasperated Julia. "And this only goes to show what forty years' association with a free-thinking—"

   "You were right in the beginning, Julia; we had better drop the subject," said Mrs. Maybury; and she gathered up her Afghan wools gently, and went to her room.

   Mrs. Maybury came down, however, when tea was ready, and all was serene again, especially as Susan Peyster came in to tell the news about Dean Hampton's defalcation at the village bank, and had a seat at the table.

   "But I don't understand what on earth he has done with the money," said Mrs. Maybury.

   "Gambled," said Susan.

   "Cards," said Mrs. Cairnes. "You see!"

 Prev. P 10/153 next