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Rh father's consent if it might be, but certainly without it if that consent were withheld. So she got down from the carriage, and, taking certain packages in her hand, made her way direct into the house.

"There's a big bundle under the seat, Mark," she said; "I'll come and fetch it directly if you'll drag it out."

For some five minutes the two dignitaries of the Church remained at the doors, one on his cob and the other in his low carriage, saying a few words to each other, and waiting till some one should again appear from the house. "It is all arranged, indeed it is," were the first words which reached their ears, and these came from Lucy. "There will be no trouble at all, and no expense, and they shall all come back as soon as Mrs. Crawley is able to get out of bed."

"But, Miss Robarts, I can assure—" That was Mr. Crawley's voice, heard from him as he followed Miss Robarts to the door; but one of the elder children had then called him into the sick-room, and Lucy was left to do her worst.

"Are you going to take the children back with you?" said the dean.

"Yes; Mrs. Robarts has prepared for them."

"You can take greater liberties with my friend here than I can."

"It is all my sister's doing," said Robarts. "Women are always bolder in such matters than men." And then Lucy reappeared, bringing Bobby with her, and one of the younger children.

"Do not mind what he says," said she, "but drive away when you have got them all. Tell Fanny I have put into the basket what things I could find, but they are very few. She must borrow things for Grace from Mrs. Granger's little girl" (Mrs. Granger was the wife of a Framley farmer); "and, Mark, turn Puck's head round, so that you may be off in a moment. I'll have Grace and the other one here directly." And then, leaving her brother to pack Bobby and his little sister in the back part of the vehicle, she returned to her business in the house. She had just looked in at Mrs. Crawley's bed, and, finding her awake, had smiled on her, and deposited her bundle in token of her intended stay, and then, without speaking a word, had gone on her errand about the children. She had called to Grace to show her where she might find such things as