So after supper Aunt Golding showed the Quaker and Mr. Truelocke into a parlour, and herself with Andrew went in to hear their reasonings; but Althea whispered me, and said, ’Let us go and walk in the garden; I cannot stay and hear the man’s insolent talk.’  So we stepped out, and began to pace up and down one of the walks, the moon being just risen, and the evening very sweet and calm—­a pleasant change it was after the heats and storms of that afternoon’s work.  Presently Harry joined us, and said at once, ’Well, sweet ladies, so you have no mind to turn Quakers?’

‘As soon shall this rose turn nettle,’ said Althea, plucking a white rose off a bush and giving it to him.  ’Keep it, I pray you; and when you find it will sting you to touch it, then conclude Althea Dacre has turned Quaker.’

‘Give me your rose too, Mistress Lucia,’ said Harry.

So I gathered one, and put it in his hand; but I felt obliged to say,—­

’I cannot speak so confidently as my sister; I know nothing of these people and their doctrines.’

‘You see their doings,’ said Althea indignantly; ’that should be enough.  Mr. Truelocke, Lucia and I were bred up true Churchwomen, and so I will continue to my dying day.  I love not all these sects that spring up like weeds in the ruined places of the Church; I am for those who are building up her walls again, and making them stronger.’

‘And is this your mind too, Mistress Lucia?’ says Harry.  ’I fear me, if it is, you will not approve my good father either;’ at which Althea went red and went pale, for she had not thought how her words might hit Mr. Truelocke; but since she did not speak, I said,—­

’Being so ignorant about these things, I don’t like to say much, except that I hate these new harsh laws,—­axes, I think them, lopping off from our Church her true, faithful members as if they were diseased limbs.  I fear me the poor trunk that is left will be like a headless, handless corpse without them.’

‘Well, God mend all!’ said Harry, drawing a long breath.  ’For my part, all I know is, that I would these great folks who rule us now had let my father end his days in peace, without pestering him about surplices and Prayer-Books and the sign of the cross, all which he holds for rank Papistry, I suppose; and I cannot wish him to lie, even about such foolish trifles as these things appear to me.  But what profits wishing?’

‘Very little,’ said Althea, sighing softly.  ’I might wish too, all in vain, that I had not spoken with such needless warmth even now;’ and she began entreating him to believe she had meant no disrespect to his father; but he cut her short, assuring her he knew it already.

‘My father is not in all your thoughts,’ said he; ’but he is seldom out of mine.  I am ever longing to see him settled in some peaceful shelter before I go to sea;’ and he looked more downcast than I had ever seen him.

We were got into the orchard now, winding in and out among the trees, and Althea went musing by herself; but I could not help lingering beside Harry, to say some comfortable words about how all folks loved Mr. Truelocke, my aunt especially, and I knew it was in her mind to have the old gentleman make his home at the Grange with her, if he only would.