On the other hand, when Mrs. Simpson proceeded to opine that if May were taken up by her father's family she would become quite a grand personage, Mr. Simpson declared, with a good deal of heat, that for his part he thought Mrs. Dobbs quite as good any day as the Cheffingtons, about whom nothing certain was known in Oldchester except that they were shabby in their dealings and "stuck-up" in their pretensions. Mr. Weatherhead lingered behind the organist and his wife, to say a word to Mrs. Dobbs after their departure. "I can tell you one thing, Sarah; what you said about May will be all over Oldchester by Monday." "So I guess." "O-ho! Then you mean it to be talked about?" "I mean it to be known that May is to take her place in the world as Miss Cheffington." "But _is_ she? That's more than you can say, Sarah." "I shall have a try for it, Jo." Now whenever Mrs. Dobbs had said in that emphatic manner that she would "have a try" for anything, that thing, so far as Jo Weatherhead's experience went, had infallibly come to pass. But with all his faith in his old friend, he could not help doubting her success in the present case. He was eagerly curious to know how she intended to proceed; but Mrs. Dobbs refused to say any more on the subject, declaring that she must think things over quietly. "I don't see it," said Mr. Weatherhead to himself, poking forward his nose, and pursing up his lips as he walked homeward. "Sarah Dobbs is a wonderful woman, but even she can't gather grapes from thorns. And in respect of justice or generosity--not to mention common honesty--I'm afraid all the Cheffingtons are rather thorny." CHAPTER IV.