130 The Real Charlotte. 



wouldn't have that dog's conscience for a good deal," went 

 on Mrs. Gascogne as she came downstairs. " In fact, I am 

 beginning to think that the only people who get everything 

 they want are the people who have no consciences at 

 all." 



" There's a pretty sentiment for a clergyman's wife ! " ex- 

 claimed Charlotte. *' Wait till I see the Archdeacon and 

 ask him what sort of theology that is ! Now wasn't that the 

 very image of Mrs. Gascogne ? " she continued as Pamela 

 and she drove away ; " the best and the most religious 

 woman in the parish, but no one's able to say a sharper 

 thing when she likes, and you never know what heterodoxy 

 she'll let fly at you next ! " 



The rain was over, and the birds were singing loudly in 

 the thick shrubs at Tally Ho as Pamela turned the roan 

 pony in at the gate ; the sun was already drawing a steamy 

 warmth from the be-puddled road, and the blue of the after- 

 noon sky was glowing freshly and purely behind a widening 

 proscenium of clouds. 



" Now you might just as well come in and hr:ve a cup of 

 tea ; it's going to be a lovely evening after all, and I happen 

 to know there's a grand sponge-cake in the house." Thus 

 spoke Charlotte, with hospitable warmth, and Pamela per- 

 mitted herself to be persuaded. " It was Francie made it 

 herself; she'll be as proud as Punch at having you to — " 

 Charlotte stopped short with her hand on the drawing-room 

 door, and then opened it abruptly. 



There was no one to be seen, but on the table were two 

 half-empty cups of tea, and the new sponge-cake, reduced 

 by one-third, graced the centre of the board. Miss Mullen 

 glared round the room. A stifled giggle broke from the 

 corner behind the piano, and Francie's head appeared over 

 the top, instantly followed by that of Mr. Hawkins. 



" We thought 'twas visitors when we heard the wheels," 

 said Miss Fitzpatrick, still laughing, but looking very much 

 ashamed of herself, " and we went to hide when they passed 

 the window for fear we'd be seen." She paused, not know- 

 ing what to say, and looked entreatingly at Pamela. " I 

 never thought it'd be you — " 



It was borne in on her suddenly that this was not the 

 manner in which Miss Dysart would have acted under 



