"She has asked to wait till next week, as she has to settle up her affairs, and dispose of what furniture she has. Mr. Cheriton has bought the poor gentleman's books, of which he had a good many, considering. Mrs. Cropsey has insisted on giving me two china jugs, which were her mother's, on account of a debt she owes me, for thread, hose, and so on. I don't wish to sell them, so with your leave, I will put them on the top of your cabinet, here. Perhaps she may buy them back some day." "What do you think?" I asked of Amabel, as Mrs. Thorpe left the room. "About Mrs. Cropsey? I think we must make the best of her, and learn all we can of her. Anyhow, Lucy, we won't be set against her beforehand; that would not be fair. I dare say she is a nice person." "She must be, of course, since Mr. Cheriton recommended her!" said I demurely, and bestowing extra pains on the stem of my fern. "I suppose he would not recommend her, of course, unless he considered her suitable," returned Amabel, and she immediately began practising with such energy that there was no more chance for conversation. [Illustration] CHAPTER XI. THE INNOCENT BLOOD. THE next day was Sunday, a day which usually hung rather heavily on our hands. There was a Roman Catholic Chapel in Newcastle, but it had been closed ever since our arrival, and the priest had left town. The rumors of a second attempt of the Chevalier de St. George, or the Pretender, (that unlucky gentleman being one or the other, according as the speaker were Whig or Jacobite,) though as it turned out totally unfounded at that time, had made it expedient for such of the Catholic clergy as knew the value of peace, to keep out of sight. But these rumors had now begun to die away. It was reported that King Louis had forbidden the chevalier to fight with his army in Flanders, or even to visit it; that his highness was living quietly in the neighborhood of Paris, amusing himself with shooting and playing, and other more questionable diversions, and that there was not the least likelihood of his getting together another fleet at present to re-place that which had been scattered by the storms of the preceding winter. The Jacobites still held up their heads, and used their passwords, and wore their white ribbons. But I could not but observe that a large number of the fine bonnets which sailed into the side entrance of St. Anne's were trimmed with red plumes and flowers. Amabel had one of her rare headaches that day. She got up, but was obliged to go to bed again. I applied the usual remedies, and she by and by began to amend, and at last fell into the deep sleep which usually ended these attacks.