Ned came in and blew out his lantern, but the lady he had mistaken for the lecturer was a lady who had come to live in the neighbourhood lately, and the priest said:—
“You must be very much interested in poultry, ma’am, to come out on such a night as this.”
The lady stood shaking her waterproof.
“Now, then, Lizzie, run to your mother and get the lady a chair.”
And when the child came back with the chair, and the lady was seated by the fire, he said:—
“I’m thinking there will be no lecturer here to-night, and that it would be kind of you if you were to give the lecture yourself. You have read some books about poultry, I am sure?”
“Well, a little—but—”
“Oh, that doesn’t matter,” said the priest. “I’m sure the book you have read is full of instruction.”
He walked up the room towards a
