So no one was overlooked; and, when the family reassembled in the drawing room before starting for church, there ensued a gay confusion, a mirthful strife, in the mutual offering and deprecating acknowledgments. But at last they entered the carriages and drove away to All Faith. Mr. and Mrs. Force, Odalite and Mrs. Anglesea rode in the family coach, driven by Jake; Miss Meeke and her two pupils in the buggy, driven by Wynnette, who was already a famous "whip." The household servants rode in the break. Le, mounted on the young horse given him by his uncle, escorted the whole party, and made himself very useful in opening gates or taking down bars for the caravan. They all reached the church in good time. The party entered their pews without feeling any annoyance. If they were stared at, they did not know it. The Christmas service was always a grand jubilee, deeply interesting, highly exalting, and Dr. Peters' sermon was sure to be good, cheerful and appropriate. After the benediction, when the congregation began to disperse, the usual neighborly greetings took place in the yard. Friends came up to wish merry Christmas and happy New Year to the Forces, and to receive the like courtesies from them. Happily, every one had the good taste to ignore the unseemly events of the previous Tuesday. And the Force family left the churchyard more at ease than they had entered it. The journey home was, therefore, very pleasant. The subsequent Christmas dinner was a festival, and the dessert was prolonged with cracking nuts, making "philopena" bargains, opening sugar kisses and exchanging "verses." It was not until after dinner that Le got a chance to speak to Odalite. "Will you come out for a walk with me? It is not cold," he whispered, as they all left the dining room. "Yes," she answered; "and we will go now, or it will be too late." And she took down her brown beaver coat and poke bonnet that always hung in the hall ready for common use, and began to put them on. Le took his overcoat and cap from the same rack, and speedily incased himself. Their gloves were in the pockets of their coats, and so they were soon ready, and in two minutes opened the hall door and left the house. It was a fine winter twilight. The sun had just set, and the western hemisphere was all aflame with the afterglow. The moon had just risen from behind the deep blue waters of the bay, and was shining broad and full from a rosy gray sky. Though the woods were bare, and the earth was brown with winter, the scene was pleasant in its soft, subdued color and veiled brightness. CHAPTER XL AGAIN BY THE WINTRY SEA "We will walk down by the shore; it is always pleasant there," said Le. "Yes, let us go there. It will be too dark in the woods, but there will be moonlight on the sea and shore." And they walked through the east gate, and down the wooded hill to the water side.