Up to this point Miss Hansford had joined in the conversation, but, at the mention of cassocks, she left the room hurriedly, banging the door hard, and did not return to say good-bye to Clarice. She was very proud of Roger and he was very popular, as a new rector, earnest in his work, good-looking, fairly young and unmarried, is apt to be. He had entered heart and soul into his work and in an atmosphere more congenial than that of Samona was expanding and developing in more ways than one. All this pleased Miss Hansford, who gave liberally for the maintenance of the church, and went occasionally to hear him preach, until he began to intone the services, when she quit, saying she couldn’t stand that whang-tang, and she didn’t believe the Lord could, either. At the cassocks, which she at first called _hassocks_ she rebelled more hotly than at the whang-tang, and gave Roger many a sharp lecture, but never made the slightest impression upon him. He laughed at her good-humoredly and told her she was behind the times, and conducted his services in his own way. Once she thought of suggesting to him to find another boarding place, not on account of his ritualistic proclivities, but on account of his four boys, who nearly drove her wild. They had very early made the acquaintance of Sherry, who had been left at the Ralston House, and who spent the greater part of every day at the cottage. They picked up two stray cats and brought them home, to the infinite disgust of Jim, growing old and fat, and jealous of intruders. They had a wheel and a kite and stilts. They played ball and croquet on her grounds; they chewed gum, and left little balls of it everywhere. They raced through the house, with Sherry after them. They brought all the boys in the neighborhood to play with them and the place resounded with the merry shouts from morning till night. With all this, they were lovable boys, with bright, handsome faces and pleasing manners, and Miss Hansford doted upon them and, knowing she would be very lonely without them, decided finally to keep them and “stand the racket.” It was something to have so good a man as Roger under her roof and she was very happy until Clarice came as a disturbing element.