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Respectability.
    I was, consequently, late for school and Miss Brent, who believed the teaching of the necessity of Punctuality was as important as the three Rs, said that if I could not come on time I should stay behind for half an hour and write out the Creed before I left school.
    It would mean, of course, that I shouldn have time to call on Matty.
    The day passed and at three olock I was seated at my desk writing out believe in God the Father and when I came to onceivedsaying the little rhyme to myself, before E except after C,and I had finished it in twenty minutes. I then took it to Miss Brent sitting room upstairs, knocked on the door and handed it to her. She glanced through it, nodded and said: ou better be quick. Youl be home before dark. And, Suewellyn, do try to be on time. It bad manners not to be.
    I said: es, Miss Brent,very meekly and ran off.
    If I took the short cut across the churchyard, which would save a few minutes, I might just have time to look in on Matty and tell her about the ghost I had seen in the churchyard on the previous day. If I were late home I could tell Aunt Amelia I had been kept in to write believe.She would nod grimly and show her approval of Miss Brent action.
    To go across the churchyard after the previous day experience seemed a little strange. But it was typical of mend perhaps this goes a little way to explain what happened laterhat the fact of my fear gave the churchyard special fascination for me. It was not quite dark. It had been a brighter day than yesterday and the sun was a great red ball on the horizon. I was afraid; I was tingling with a mixture of apprehension and excitement, but somehow I felt myself drawn almost involuntarily to the churchyard.
    As soon as I entered it I called myself stupid for coming. Fear took a firm grip of me and I had a great desire to turn and run. But I wouldn. I would skirt the ancient part and make my way among the whiter stones whose inscriptions had not yet been obliterated by time and weather.
    I was being followed. I knew it. I could hear the footsteps behind me. I started to run. Whoever was behind me was hurrying too.
    How foolish of me to have come here. I was playing some game of bravado with myself. I had had my warning yesterday. How scared I had been then and Aunt Amelia had not been far away. I would only have had to get to her. And yet I had come back alone.
    I could see the gray walls of the church. Whoever was following me was faster than I. Ithe was right at my heels.
    I looked at the church door. I remembered hearing something about churches being a sanctuary because they were holy places. Evil spirits could not exist there.
    I hesitated at the door of the church whether to go in or run?
    A hand reached out and touched me.
    I gave a little gasp.
    hat the matter, little girl?said a musical and very friendly voice. here nothing to be afraid of, you know.
    I swung round and faced him.
    He was a very tall man and I noticed the black hat which he had worn yesterday. He was smiling. His eyes were dark brown and his face was not a bit as I imagined a ghost would be. It was a living man who confronted me. He took off his hat and bowed.
    only wanted to talk to you,he went on.
    ou were in the graveyard yesterday,I accused.
    es,he said. like graveyards. I like reading the inscriptions on the tombs, do you?
    I did, but I said nothing. I was trembling with fear.
    hat pump was a bit stiff, wasn it?he went on. was coming to help you with it. You needed one to hold the jar while the other pumped. Don you agree?
    es,I said.
    how me the church, will you? I interested in old churches.
    have to get home,I told him. late.
    es, later than the others. Why?
    was kept in to write the Creed.
    I believe in God the Father.Do you believe, little girl?
    f course I believe. Everybody believes.
    o they? Then you know God will watch over you and protect you from all dangers and perils of the night even strangers in graveyards. Come along just for a moment.