"Master Serrol, eh? Why, of course! She must ha' knowed him when she lived at parson's. I'll tell Tom." More smoking, and the pipe of tobacco burned out. "No, I won't tell Tom," said the big fellow. "If I did he wouldn't believe me, and it would only make him and Polly miserable too, and I don't want to do that. I tell you what--if I see Master Serrol go down there again when Tom's out of the way I'll pretty well break his neck." He uttered a low chuckling laugh as he lay prone there, catching sight now of the robin, and chirruping to it as it watched him from its perch. "Pretty Dick!" he said. "Going up to London, are they? All right! Anywheres'll do for me, parson. I wonder whether Serrol and Frank'll go too." Jock Morrison did not pretty well break Cyril's neck, for a very few days after Mr Paulby had the full management of Lawford Church again, the family at the rectory being once more in town. "It is worse for the boys," said the Rector, "but it will keep Cyril away from her. I must get him something to do." PART ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. MR AND THE MISSES PERRY-MORTON "AT HOME." It was a lovely and sculpturesque attitude, that which was taken up by the "stained-glass virgins," as James Magnus called them, on the night of their first "at home" of the season, for at every opportunity, when not otherwise engaged, they joined their hands together, raised them over their left or right shoulder, as the case may be, and then drooped a head against them till an ear just touched the finger-tips, so that they seemed to be saying their prayers all on one side and writhing over the _Amens_. Claudine and Faustine Perry-Morton were thorough types of the ladies who have of late taught society how to indulge in the reverent worship of the human form. Their hair was too fearful and wonderful to be described. The nearest approach possible is to compare it to the gum mop of some Papuan belle, who had been chivied during her toilet in the eucalyptus shade, and, consequently, had only managed to get the front part done. Since dress is made so great a feature in a modern lady's life, no excuse is surely needed for saying a few words regarding the costume of these gifted sisters. A desire is felt to do justice to those robes, but to give a perfect idea would be extremely difficult. As it happened, the colour was but one, and it was that of the familiar household tap-rooted vegetable botanically named _daucus_, but hight the carrot, when seen reposing in sweetness in a dish.