beautifully into place as if it had always been there. In front there was gathered quite a respectable crowd, whose imagination had been stirred by its coming destruction; for to the simple minds of the villagers the action of the Council was final, against which there could be no appeal, even by so powerful a man as Lord Stranleigh. Yet law or no law, the people were all against such wanton demolition. They saw in their mind's eye the members of the Council with their coats off, armed with pick-axe, crowbar, and spade, attacking this perfect little building of greenish stone, red brick, and old tiles, and they were not pleased. This little mob surrounded the important grocer and arrested his progress towards his shop. The trio saw him explaining and expostulating, but they could not hear what he said. He glanced at the house, and glanced at the indignant mob, and glanced with apprehension at the approaching Lord Stranleigh with his two partisans. Greenleaves was not having it all his own way here, as was the case in the Council Chamber. As he saw the grocer mop his brow with a big red handkerchief, Stranleigh laughed as he recited:
"And now the counsel's brow was sad.
And the counsel's speech was low,
And darkly looked he at the house,
And darkly at the foe."
