Next time Captain Keith rode to Avonmouth he met the riding party on
the road, Bessie upon Rachel's mare, and it appeared that Lady Temple
had considered it so dreadful that Meg should not share her
hospitality, that it had been quite impossible to send her away.
"So, Alick, your feelings must endure the dreadful spectacle."

Meanwhile Rachel was hard at work with the subscribers to the
"Christian Knowledge Society." Beginning with the A's, and working
down a page a day, she sent every member a statement of the wrongs of
the lacemakers, and the plans of the industrial establishment, at a
vast expense of stamps; but then, as she calculated, one pound thus
gained paid for two hundred and forty fruitless letters.

"And pray," said Alick, who had ridden on to call at the Homestead,
"how do you reconcile yourself to the temptation to the postmen?"

"They don't see what my letters are about?"

"They must be dull postmen if they don't remark on the shower of
envelopes that pass through their hands--ominous money-letters, all
with the same address, and no detection remember. You don't know who
will answer and who will not."

"I never thought of that," said Rachel; "but risks must be run when
any great purpose is in hand."

"The corruption of one postman versus the rescue of--how many
children make a postman?" asked Captain Keith, with his grave,
considering look.