Next day the Reverend Barnes Puffin lunched at The Warren. Being a feast day he did full justice to the meal. He was overflowing with good spirits, and as soon as lunch was over he seized the first opportunity of securing a _tête-à-tête_ with the squire's niece. As Miss Warrender took the arm of the clergyman, she cast an amused and meaning glance at Haggard. Little by little the pair wandered away into the secluded rose garden, and the Reverend Barnes Puffin felt that he had got his chance. "Do you care for parish work, Miss Warrender?" said the Celibate, after a few commonplace phrases. "To tell you the truth, Mr. Puffin, I don't know; I have never tried." "It is a great privilege, you know," he said. "Has it never occurred to you, my dear Miss Warrender, that it might be your vocation, your natural aim in life." "No, I don't think it ever has, Mr. Puffin," she said. "I did know a girl once, one of my school friends, she joined a sisterhood; you know I fancy it was the dress attracted her. She joined a sisterhood, but they made the poor thing wear dreadful thick shoes like a man's, and she had to scrub floors, which spoilt her pretty hands; poor child, they have remained red ever since, and she was glad to marry an army doctor and go to China with him. I suppose red hands don't matter in China," the girl said meditatively. "No, I don't think I should care to scrub floors, Mr. Puffin," and she spread out her taper fingers as though for her own inspection. The curate admired the fingers, and observed with satisfaction that they were undecorated by a prohibitive ring. "There are other spheres, dear Miss Warrender, than sisterhoods. Our friend Mrs. Dodd has found a happy and congenial one here in King's Warren." "But then she is a clergyman's wife, Mr. Puffin, and a privileged person." "It is a privilege, Miss Warrender, a great privilege. I'm glad it commends itself to you as such." "Oh, yes; Mrs. Dodd is much to be envied, but then Mrs. Dodd is a very clever woman; she, Mr. Puffin, has caught her hare." "And having caught him, Miss Warrender, she has accommodated him to her own taste." "Hers is a master mind, Mr. Puffin." "It is perhaps as easy, my dear young lady, to rule by love as to rule by fear." "And much nicer, I should think, Mr. Puffin." The curate blushed, and then he made an audacious statement. "Mine is a very accommodating nature, Miss Warrender." "That's very fortunate for you, Mr. Puffin, for you must have so much to put up with from the poor people."