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Granny Hall； and the children。
〃Polly grew up quite civilised；〃 said Ethel。 〃She lives at Whitford；
with some very respectable people； and sends granny presents； which
make her merrier than ever。 Last time it was a bonnet； and Jenny
persuaded her to go to church in it； though； she said； what she
called the moon of it was too small。〃
〃How do the people go on？〃
〃I cannot say much for them。 It is disheartening。 We really have
done nothing。 So very few go to church regularly。〃
〃None at all went in my time；〃 said Mr。 Wilmot。
〃Elwood always goes；〃 said Mary； 〃and Taylor； yes； and Sam Hall； very
often； and many of the women； in the evening； because they like to
walk home with the children。〃
〃The children？ the Sunday scholars？〃
〃Oh； every one that is big enough comes to school now； here； on
Sunday。 If only the teaching were better〃
〃Have you sent out any more pupils to service？〃
〃Not many。 There is Willie Brown； trying to be Dr。 Spencer's little
groom；〃 said Ethel。
〃But I am afraid it will take a great deal of the doctor's patience
to train him；〃 added Margaret。
〃It is hard；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃He did it purely to oblige Ethel； and；
I tell her； when he lames the pony； I shall expect her to buy another
for him； out of the Cocksmoor funds。〃
Ethel and Mary broke out in a chorus of defence of Willie Brown。
〃There was Ben Wheeler；〃 said Mary； 〃who went to work in the
quarries； and the men could not teach him to say bad words； because
the young ladies told him not。〃
〃The young ladies have not quite done nothing；〃 said Dr。 May；
smiling。
〃These are only little stray things； and Cherry has done the chief of
them；〃 said Ethel。 〃Oh； it is grievously bad still；〃 she added；
sighing。 〃Such want of truth； such ungoverned tongues and tempers；
such godlessness altogether！ It is only surface…work； taming the
children at school； while they have such homes； and their parents；
even if they do come where they might learn better； are always liable
to be upset； as they all itturned out of their places in church；
and they will not run the chance。〃
〃The church must come to them；〃 said Mr。 Wilmot。 〃Could the school
be made fit to be licensed for service。〃
〃Ask our architect；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃There can be little doubt。〃
〃I have been settling that I must have a curate specially for
Cocksmoor；〃 said Mr。 Wilmot。 〃Can you tell me of one； Ethelor
perhaps Margaret could？〃
Margaret could only smile faintly； for her heart was beating。
〃Seriously；〃 said Mr。 Wilmot； turning to Dr。 May； 〃do you think
Richard would come and help us here？〃
〃This seems to be his destiny；〃 said the doctor； smiling； 〃only it
would not be fair to tell you； lest you should be jealousthat the
Town Council had a great mind for him。〃
The matter was explained； and Mr。 Wilmot was a great deal more struck
by Dr。 May's conduct than the good doctor thought it deserved。 Every
one was only too glad that Richard should come as Cocksmoor curate；
and； though the stipend was very smallsince Mr。 Wilmot meant to
have other assistanceyet； by living at home； it might be feasible。
Margaret's last words that night to Ethel were； 〃The last wish I had
dared to make is granted！〃
Mr。 Wilmot wrote to Richard； who joyfully accepted his proposal； and
engaged to come home as soon as his present rector could find a
substitute。
Dr。 Spencer was delighted； and； it appeared； had already had a view
to such possibilities in designing the plan of the school。
The first good effect of Mr。 Wilmot's coming was； that Dr。 Spencer
was cured of the vagrant habits of going to church at Abbotstoke or
Fordholm； that had greatly concerned his friend。 Dr。 May； who could
never get any answer from him except that he was not a Town
Councillor； and； as to example； it was no way to set that to sleep
through the sermon。
To say that Dr。 May never slept under the new dynasty would be an
over…statement； but slumber certainly prevailed in the minster to a
far less degree than formerly。 One cause might be that it was not
shut up unaired from one Sunday to another； but that the chime of the
bells was no longer an extraordinary sound on a week…day。 It was at
first pronounced that time could not be found for going to church on
week…days without neglecting other things； but Mary； who had lately
sat very loose to the schoolroom； began gradually to slip down to
church whenever the service was neither too early nor too late； and
Gertrude was often found trotting by her sidegoing to mamma； as the
little Daisy called it； from some confusion between the church and
the cloister； which Ethel was in no hurry to disturb。
Lectures in Lent filled the church a good deal； as much perhaps from
the novelty as from better motives； and altogether there was a
renewal of energy in parish work。 The poor had become so little
accustomed to pastoral care； that the doctors and the district
visitors were obliged to report cases of sickness to the clergy； and
vainly tried to rouse the people to send of their own accord。
However； the better leaven began to work； and； of course； there was a
ferment； though less violent than Ethel had expected。
Mr。 Wilmot set more cautiously to work than he had done in his
younger days； and did not attack prejudices so openly； and he had an
admirable assistant in Dr。 Spencer。 Every one respected the opinion
of the travelled doctor； and he had a courteous clever process of the
reduction to the absurd； which seldom failed to tell； while it never
gave offence。 As to the Ladies' Committee； though there had been
expressions of dismay； when the tidings of the appointment first went
abroad； not one of the whole 〃Aonian choir〃 liked to dissent from Dr。
Spencer； and he talked them over； individually； into a most
conformable state； merely by taking their compliance for granted； and
showing that he deemed it only the natural state of things； that the
vicar should reign over the charities of the place。
The committee was not dissolvedthat would have been an act of
violencebut it was henceforth subject to Mr。 Wilmot； and he and his
curates undertook the religious instruction in the week； and chose
the booksa state of affairs brought about with so much quietness；
that Ethel knew not whether Flora； Dr。 Spencer； or Mr。 Wilmot had
been the chief mover。
Mrs。 Ledwich was made treasurer of a new coal club； and Miss Rich
keeper of the lending…library； occupations which delighted them
greatly； and Ethel was surprised to find how much unity of action was
springing up； now that the period was over； of each 〃doing right in
her own eyes。〃
〃In fact；〃 said Dr。 Spencer； 〃when women have enough to do； they are
perfectly tractable。〃
The Cocksmoor accounts were Ethel's chief anxiety。 It seemed as if
now there might be a school…house； but with little income to depend
upon； since poor Alan Ernescliffe's annual ten pounds was at an end。
However； Dr。 May leaned over her as she was puzzling over her pounds；
shillings； and pence； and laid a cheque upon her desk。 She looked up
in his face。 〃We must make Cocksmoor Harry's heir；〃 he said。
By and by it appeared that Cocksmoor was not out of Hector