"Be my brother or I will kill you," quoted Tui. "I've heard that sentiment before, Dr. Drabble." "Miss Ostergaard, I thought you were a disciple of mine." "I stop short of murder, doctor." Major Semberry appeared disturbed. "Nasty word 'murder,' in a young lady's mouth;" he jerked; "let's talk of something agreeable." "Of Olive, for instance," smiled Angus. "Olives are always agreeable." "After dinner only," said Miss Bellairs, spoiling the pun, "I don't feel complimented, Angus, by your comparison." "My dear, you are a flower--a rose!" "And you are a smiling cabbage," muttered Tui, turning away. "Lord Aldean, take me to the tent." "The Major is not engaged," hinted Aldean, slyly. "Neither am I," retorted Miss Ostergaard, "so there is still a chance for your lordship;" and she led him away wondering if he could not construe a confession of love from her last remark. While this desultory conversation was going on, Miss Slarge had the Rector well in hand, and was bombarding him with hard Babylonic facts. "Our Good Friday hot cross-bun is an emblem of idolatry," she was saying; "we should tread it underfoot rather than eat it." "Oh, my dear lady," remonstrated the shocked Mr. Brock, "it is stamped with the sacred symbol of our religion!" "I don't care what it is stamped with; it is none other than the sacred bread of Babylon, which was offered to the pagan queen of Heaven fifteen hundred and more years before the Christian era. Even the name is the same. The sacred cake was called 'boun;' our Good Friday cake is termed 'bun.'" "A bun!" interposed the rector. "With or without the article, it is the same thing. 'Boun;' 'bun'--what can be plainer? The first is pure Chaldee, the last Scottish." "I don't understand Chaldee, Miss Slarge," said Mr. Brock, in hope of changing the conversation. "What a pleasant scene this is." "The scene is all right," snapped Miss Slarge; "but it would be better if Mr. Carson were not here. Ugh! I can't bear the sight of him." "Why not? He seems to be a pleasant young man." "No backbone, Mr. Brock. If you dropped him into the mud he would stay there. Mrs. Purcell said that he had a strong will and a stubborn nature; but I can see neither myself." "It is, of course, possible your sister may have been mistaken." "Perhaps so; but in every other respect her description of him has been particularly accurate, even to the bracelet he wears. Bangle--bracelet--" said Miss Slarge, with contempt; "the idea of a man decking himself out like a woman!" "Still, he is agreeable enough, Miss Slarge; and you must remember that to me he is always the son of my dear old friend. In memory of his father, he intends to present my church with a new altar-cloth." "Marked 'I.H.S.,' I suppose, Mr. Brock?" "Well, yes; it is customary to mark them with the sacred letters." "What do they stand for?" "'Iesu hominum salvator.'"