Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/268

250 enable her to have a larger house-party than would have been possible with them both at home.

“Have you seen Amy this week?” asked Julia, as the two cousins were on their way to service on Sunday morning. The two girls always walked to church, and were very regular in their attendance. It was a particularly interesting little church, and it had been built by a very  liberal-minded man a few years before for the use of the  summer residents who did not care to go to one of the  neighboring towns to church. Visiting clergymen of different denominations preached in it in turn, and hence people of different denominations attended it.

There was only one service a day, and Mr. Barlow required from his daughter the same regular attendance at the seashore that he expected in the city. Amy also attended the Rustic Chapel, as it was popularly called  from its style of architecture, and ever since the beginning  of their acquaintance she had been in the habit of joining  the two girls, and walking part way home with them.

Now when Julia asked Brenda whether she had seen Amy the past week, Brenda felt a little uncomfortable  thrill pass through her.

“No, I have n’t,” she replied, shortly. Indeed, if the truth were told, she had hardly thought of Amy since  Agnes’ home-coming.

“I have been wondering,” said Julia,—“I have been wondering about the reading class. Perhaps Amy expected to hear something from us about it.”

“I don’t see why,” responded Brenda. “We can’t