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 Kroenke - Using MIS 7th Ed - Instructor’s Manual

..

8
..
..
.. Social Media Information
..
.. Systems

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Define a social media information system (SMIS).

• Explain how SMIS advance organizational strategy.
• Explain how SMIS increase social capital.
• Describe roles that SMIS play in the hyper-social organization.
• Describe how (some) companies earn revenue from social media.
• Explain how organizations can manage the risks of social media.
• Discuss social media issues in 2024.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

• What is a social media information system (SMIS)?

o Three SMIS roles
o SMIS components
• How do SMIS advance organizational strategy?
o Social media and the sales and marketing activity
o Social media and customer service
o Social media and inbound and outbound logistics
o Social media and manufacturing and operations
o Social media and human resources
• How do SMIS increase social capital?
o What is the value of social capital?
o How do social networks add value to businesses?
o Using social networking to increase the number of relationships
o Using social networks to increase the strength of relationships
o Connecting to those with more assets
• What roles do SMIS play in the hyper-social organization?
o Consumers become humans
o Market segments become tribes
o Channels become networks
o Structure and control become messy
o How can SMIS foster hyper-social organizations?
• How do (some) companies earn revenue from social media?
o Key characteristics of Web 2.0
o Does mobility reduce online ad revenue?

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Kroenke - Using MIS 7th Ed - Instructor’s Manual 2

• How can organizations manage the risks of social media?

o Managing the risk of employee communication
o Managing the risk of user-generated content
• 2024?

Using MIS InClass 8

Any Kayakers Here at the Grand Canyon?

1. Visit www.salesforce.com/chatter to learn Chatter’s features and applications. Using

what you learn, state one Chatter application for each of the value chain activities in
Figure 8-6.
Since Chatter is a social media network for an enterprise, it can be used to improve
communication between all parts of an organization, internally, and to establish a
better bond with the organization’s suppliers and customers. Chatter can be applied in
any of the value chain activities in Figure 8-6. Students will identify a variety of
Chatter applications for these activities.

2. From the salesforce.com site, find three interesting Chatter applications other than
General Electric’s. Summarize those applications. Classify them in terms of Figure 8-
6.
Since the applications on the Salesforce.com web site are likely to change over time,
the examples selected by students will vary. Here are three examples that are
currently available:
• Burberry - Burberry World, "the ultimate expression of the Burberry brand,"
where visitors can "engage, entertain, and interact, as well as providing the
ultimate online luxury shopping experience." The goal istotal integration among
the company, its employees, its customers, and the all-important brand. "Our
vision is that a customer has total access to Burberry, across any device,
anywhere," says CEO Angela Ahrendts. "They get exactly the same feeling of the
brand and and feeling of the culture. Everyone can come to Burberry World and
understand the journey that Burberry is on." Sales and Marketing/Customer
Service.
• Virgin America - To overcome the challenges caused by rapid expansion and
maintain its fun-loving and people-oriented culture, the company depends on
Salesforce and a Chatter social network to keep everyone connected. "It's
important to interact with everyone on our team and make them all part of our
community," says David Cush, Virgin America's CEO. Although 90 percent of
the airline's employees never sit at a desk or in front of a PC, they interact and
communicate regularly using mobile phones and tablets. Cush continues, "Now,
with Salesforce, they have a powerful tool to see everything that's going on at the
company and stay aligned around our guests." Marketing/Customer Service.
• Commonwealth Bank of Australia - CommBank’s 48,000 employees are widely
distributed around the country. They’re also a very social group, so an employee
social network like Chatter is a natural fit for internal collaboration. “Now the

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Kroenke - Using MIS 7th Ed - Instructor’s Manual 3

narrative of the business can be captured and shared,” says Chief Marketing
Officer Andy Lark. “People can turn every communication into a social
communication—on their own device. That is enormously powerful.” Especially
since many branch employees don’t have their own dedicated computers. “It's
about helping employees do more in less time.” Human Resources

3. One obvious example for SM machines is for the machines to report operational
status, say speed, temperature, fuel usage, and so on, depending on the type of
machine, to a Chatter or other SM site. How can the organization use such reporting
in the context of machine, customer, and employee social media?
Operational status information reported by machines could be fed to the employees
who are responsible for monitoring machine status and performance. Problems that
may be developing might be able to be identified before becoming significant,
enhancing employee maintenance tasks and improving customer satisfaction.
Machine designs can be improved through this status reporting which will appeal to
customers. Machines that must work in a coordinated fashion will be able to be better
coordinated through the direct communication of status information.

4. Consider foursquare for machines. Besides cars with kayaks asking for the presence
of other cars with kayaks, what other uses can your team envision? Consider
machine-to-machine interactions as well as machine-to-human interactions.
Student responses will vary.

5. Besides reporting operational status and foursquare for machines, what other
applications for machine-employee-customer SM can you envision?
Student responses will vary.

USING YOUR KNOWLEDGE

8-1. Using the Facebook page of a company that you have “Liked” (or would choose to),
fill out the grid in Figure 8-5. Strive to replace the phrases in that grid with specific
statements that pertain to Facebook, the company you like, and you and users whom
you know. For example, if you and your friends access Facebook using an Android
phone, enter that specific device.
Student responses will vary depending upon which company is Liked, the users
known, and the devices used. (LO: 1, Learning Outcome: Discuss the role of
information systems in supporting business processes, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

8-2. Name a company for which you would like to work. Using Figure 8-6 as a guide,
describe, as specifically as you can, how that company would use social media.
Include community type, specific focus, processes involved, risks, and any other
observations.
a. Sales and marketing
b. Customer service
c. Inbound logistics

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 Kroenke - Using MIS 7th Ed - Instructor’s Manual 4

d. Outbound logistics
e. Manufacturing and operations
f. Human resources

Student responses will vary, depending on the company that is chosen. Look for the
following ideas in their responses:

a. Sales and marketing – Communities are defenders of belief. Communities focus

outward to prospects. Social CRM is dynamic; members of community can
promote sales to others in the community through blogs, wikis, and reviews.
Risks include SM messages that are misperceived by the community (and
backfire) resulting in poor public relations.
b. Customer service – Communities are seekers of truth, reaching outward to
customers to provide peer-to-peer support through problem solving. Frequently
very valuable but risk is the loss of control over the community’s solution to the
problem.
c. Inbound logistics – Communities are seekers of truth, solving problems that occur
in the supply chain. Since problem solving requires open exchange of
information, loss of privacy is a major risk.
d. Outbound logistics – Communities are seekers of truth, solving problems that
occur in the supply chain. Since problem solving requires open exchange of
information, loss of privacy is a major risk.
e. Manufacturing and operations – Communities are seekers of truth. Can focus
outward for user design ideas (crowdsourcing) or inward on operations and
manufacturing processes (cooperative work among people within the
organization). Risks include messy and unpredictable processes.
f. Human resources – Communities are defenders of truth. Can search for employee
prospects and recruit candidates. Can also facilitate employee communication
using internal personnel sites. Risks include the possibility of error.
(LO: 2, Learning Outcome: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting
business processes, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

8-3. Visit either www.lie-nielsen.com or www.sephora.com. On the site you chose, find
links to social networking sites. In what ways are those sites sharing their social
capital with you? In what ways are they attempting to cause you to share your social
capital with them? Describe the business value of social networking to the business
you chose.
Sephora has both Facebook and Twitter links and a link to a Sephora Social page. On
this page, there is a Sephora iPhone app download, links to a Beauty Talk site (a
community where beauty questions and advice are provided), YouTube videos on
beauty tutorials, and links to Sephora’s “Beauty and the Blog” blog site. Sephora is
clearly working hard to forge social capital links with its customers and engage those
customers with each other and the company. (LO: 3, Learning Outcome: Discuss the
role of information systems in supporting business processes, AACSB: Analytic
Skills)

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Kroenke - Using MIS 7th Ed - Instructor’s Manual 5

8-4. Visit www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/legal/intel-social-media-guidelines.html.

Using the four pillars that define a hyper-social organization, explain why Intel
appears to be hyper-social.
Some snippets from the Intel page are included here to help illustrate Intel’s social
media intentions.

1. Consumers become humans – Intel asks its employees to “Talk to your readers like you
would talk to real people in professional situations.” In addition, “Social communication from
Intel should help our customers, partners, and co-workers. It should be thought-provoking and
build a sense of community. If it helps people improve knowledge or skills, build their businesses,
do their jobs, solve problems, or understand Intel better—then it's adding value.” Both of the
comments illustrate the goal of viewing customers as real human beings.
2. Market segments become tribes – Intel focuses on groups of people with common
goals and aspirations. “If it helps people improve knowledge or skills, build their businesses,
do their jobs, solve problems, or understand Intel better—then it's adding value.”
3. Channels become networks – Intel strives to form two-way communication, to
inform about what Intel is doing, but also to learn. “As a business and as a corporate
citizen, Intel is making important contributions to the world, to the future of technology, and to
public dialogue on a broad range of issues. Our business activities are increasingly focused on
high-value innovation. Let's share with the world the exciting things we're learning and doing—and
open up the channels to learn from others.”
4. Structure and control gives way to messiness – Intel encourages and promotes
comments and responses. “Consider content that's open-ended and invites response.
Encourage comments. You can also broaden the conversation by citing others who are blogging
about the same topic and allowing your content to be shared or syndicated.”
(LO: 6, Learning Outcome: Discuss the ethical and social issues raised by the use of
information systems, AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities)

8-5. Visit http://socialmediatoday.com/ralphpaglia/141903/social-media-employee-policy-

examples-over-100-companies-and-organizations. Find an organization with a very
restricted employee SM policy. Name the organization and explain why you find that
policy restrictive. Does that policy cause you to feel positive, negative, or neutral
about that company? Explain.

Student responses will vary depending upon the company selected. A good example
of an SM policy that is full of “don’t” messages is that of Baker & Daniels. Baker &
Daniels is a law firm and is therefore very careful to define appropriate and
inappropriate use of SM communications. This policy is a good example of “what not
to do” with social media. (LO: 6, Learning Outcome: Discuss the ethical and social
issues raised by the use of information systems, AACSB: Ethical Understanding and
Reasoning Abilities)

COLLABORATION EXERCISE 8

You most likely do not know much about the particular purposes and goals that Flores’
and his partners and staff have for the social media group they will create to motivate
their cardiac patients to maintain their exercise programs. So, you can’t realistically

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 Kroenke - Using MIS 7th Ed - Instructor’s Manual 6

create a prototype social media site for that purpose. Instead assume that you and your
group are going to create a social media group for maintaining motivation on an
exercise program for getting and staying in shape for an intra-mural soccer or other
sports team over the summer. Or, if your group prefers, assume you are going to create a
group to maintain discipline for maintaining a diet, or some other program that requires
discipline that can be assisted by a social group. Using iteration and feedback, answer
the following questions:

1. State the particular goals of your group. Be as specific as possible.

Student group’s answers will vary. Look for the group to select a goal that requires
individual commitment, time, and effort to achieve and has some definite way of
measuring success. Training to complete a 10K race in a certain amount of time on a
certain date is an example. (LO: 2, Learning Outcome: Explain how IS can enhance
systems of collaboration and teamwork, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

2. Identify five different social media alternatives for helping your group to maintain
discipline for the activity you selected. An obvious choice is a Facebook group, but
find other alternatives as well. Visit www.socialmediatoday.com for ideas.
Summarize each alternative.
Student responses will vary, depending on the methods the group thinks will be
helpful in promoting the group’s overall goal. Several obvious choices are Facebook
groups and Google +’s new Communities. (LO: 2, Learning Outcome: Explain how
IS can enhance systems of collaboration and teamwork, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

3. Create a list of criteria for evaluating your alternatives. Use iteration and feedback to
find creative criteria, if possible.
Student responses will vary. Look for criteria that will help the group narrow their
selection down to a social media option that will be easy to use, provide the “right”
level of control and privacy, and possibly integrate easily into their existing social
media presence. (LO: 3, Learning Outcome: Explain how IS can enhance systems of
collaboration and teamwork, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

4. Evaluate your alternatives based on your criteria, and select one for implementation.
Student responses will vary. Look to be sure that the students have accurately
assessed each social media option against their criteria and have not simply chosen an
option because of familiarity. (LO: 3, Learning Outcome: Explain how IS can
enhance systems of collaboration and teamwork, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

5. Implement a prototype of your site. If, for example, you chose a Facebook group,
create a prototype page on Facebook.
Student responses will vary. (LO: 3, Learning Outcome: Explain how IS can enhance
systems of collaboration and teamwork, AACSB: Use of Information Technology))

6. Describe the five components of the SMIS you will create for your group. Be very
specific with regard to the procedure and people components. Your goal should be to
produce a result that could be implemented by any group of similarly motivated

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Kroenke - Using MIS 7th Ed - Instructor’s Manual 7

students on campus.
Hardware: User: any user computing device; application provider: cloud-based
servers.
Software: User: device OS; application provider: application, DBMS
Data: User: user-generated content; connection data; application provider: content
and connection data storage and rapid retrieval
Procedures: User: plans and commitment to post entries, view other’s posts, and
provide response and support to other group members; application provider: run and
maintain application.
People: User: upfront agreement about who is involved and who can view the posts;
application provider: staff to run and maintain application.
(LO: 3, Learning Outcome: Explain how IS can enhance systems of collaboration and
teamwork, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

7. Assess your result. How likely is it to help your group members achieve the goals in
item 1? If you see ways to improve it, describe them.
Student responses will vary. (LO: 3, Learning Outcome: Explain how IS can enhance
systems of collaboration and teamwork, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

8. Write a two-paragraph summary of your work that group members could use in a job
interview to demonstrate their knowledge of the use of social media for employee
motivation.
Student responses will vary. (LO: 3, Learning Outcome: Explain how IS can enhance
systems of collaboration and teamwork, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

CASE STUDY 8
Sedona Social

8-6. Search Facebook for Sedona, Arizona. Examine a variety of Sedona area pages that
you find. Using the knowledge of this chapter and your personal social media
experience, evaluate these pages and list several positive and negative features of
each. Make suggestions on ways that they could be improved.
Student opinions will vary on this topic. Look for student to evaluate the use of this
social media venue to support the sharing of content among networks of users. There
are numerous beautiful photos of the area, but less in the way of engaging
“conversation” on the pages about the area. (LO: 4, Learning Outcome: Discuss the
role of information systems in supporting business processes, AACSB: Analytic
Skills)

8-7. Repeat question 1 for another social media provider. As of this writing, possibilities
are Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, but choose another social media provider if you
wish.
Students’ answers will vary depending on the provider selected. Looking at Pinterest,
even more beautiful photos are found along with more commentary and some local
business advertising. (LO: 4, Learning Outcome: Discuss the role of information

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Kroenke - Using MIS 7th Ed - Instructor’s Manual 8

systems in supporting business processes, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

8-8. The purpose of a Chamber of Commerce is to foster a healthy business climate for all
of the businesses in the community. Given that purpose, your answers to questions 1
and 2, and the knowledge of this chapter, develop a set of 7 to 10 guidelines for local
businesses to consider when developing their social media presence.
Students’ answers will vary. Their guidelines should encourage businesses to make it
easy to find information, get answers to questions, enable users to share photos and
comments, keep their pages current and inviting, make it simple for users to share
links with their networks, have a plan for dealing with problematic UGC. (LO: 4,
Learning Outcome: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business
processes, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

8-9. Sedona has quite a number of potentially conflicting community groups. Explain
three ways that the Chamber of Commerce can use social media to help manage
conflict so as to maintain a healthy business environment.
Student answers will vary. Students should recognize that the Chamber of Commerce
has a role of promoting the community as a place for growth and development.
Therefore, it should use social media to foster positive relationships among those who
stand to benefit from the community’s growth and development. Since there will be
conflicting opinions among the various community groups, social media can help
each group feel as if its voice is being heard and listened to. (LO: 4, Learning
Outcome: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes,
AACSB: Analytic Skills)

8-10. Examine Figure 8-6 and state how the focus of each of the primary value chain
activities pertains to the Chamber of Commerce. If one does not pertain, explain why.
In your answer, be clear about who the Chamber’s customers are.

• Sales and marketing – the Chamber’s customers are the owners of prospective
businesses in the region. Social CRM can help the chamber manage its contacts
with business prospects.
• Customer service – provides answers to current Sedona area businesses and also
connects existing and prospective businesses.
• Inbound logistics – could apply to the process of obtaining the content included in
Chamber/community promotional material.
• Outbound logistics – used to distribute promotional material to the Chamber’s
customers (current businesses and business prospects).
• Manufacturing/operations – operations applies to the Chamber – employees can
share knowledge and problem solving techniques.
• Human resources – use for prospecting, recruiting, and evaluating employees.
(LO: 2, Learning Outcome: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting
business processes, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

8-11. Given your answer to question 5 and considering your responsibility to manage
the Chamber’s social media presences, state how each applicable row of Figure 8-6
guides the social media sites you will create.

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 Kroenke - Using MIS 7th Ed - Instructor’s Manual 9

By considering each row of Figure 8-6, a variety of uses of social media become
apparent. Keeping all these uses in mind will help ensure that social media sites are
created for all parts of our value chain, not just one or two. (LO: 2, Learning
Outcome: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes,
AACSB: Analytic Skills)

8-12. Using your answers to these questions, write a job description for yourself.
The Social Media Manager will help moderate and inspire promotional
communications via Chamber of Commerce specific Internet-based applications to
encourage the exchange of user-generated content. This position will serve as a
conduit between the Chamber staff and website consumers (current Sedona
businesses, prospective Sedona businesses, and the general public) to report events
via social media channels. Manages the social media elements to foster interaction,
education, engagement and discussion regarding the Chamber’s promotional efforts
through the use of both internal and external online communities. The Social Media
Manager will manage, update and enhance through creative efforts our social media
efforts; Facebook, Twitter, and other blogs and social media channels. (LO: 2,
Learning Outcome: Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business
processes, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

8-13. Write a two-paragraph summary of this exercise that you could use to
demonstrate your knowledge of the role of social media in commerce in a future job
interview.
Student answers will vary. Look for students to recognize the variety of uses of social
media sites and to link the organization’s particular value chain activities to its social
media presences. (LO: 2, Learning Outcome: Discuss the role of information systems
in supporting business processes, AACSB: Analytic Skills)

MyMISLab

8-14. According to Paul Greenberg, Amazon.com is the master of the 2-minute

relationship and Boeing is the master of the 10-year relationship. Visit
www.boeing.com and www.amazon.com. From Greenberg’s statement and from the
appearance of these Web sites, it appears that Boeing is committed to traditional
CRM and Amazon.com to social CRM. Give evidence from each site that this might
be true. Explain why the products and business environment of each company cause
this difference. Is there any justification for traditional CRM at Amazon.com? Why or
why not? Is there any justification for social CRM at Boeing? Why or why not? Based
on these companies, is it possible that a company might endorse Enterprise 2.0, but
not endorse social CRM? Explain.
Boeing has a very traditional Web site that is focused primarily on providing
information to the site user—a one way flow from the company to the user. You can
sign up to follow Boeing on Twitter so that Boeing can send short messages to its
followers. Amazon, on the other hand, has been a pioneer in using the Web for
creating social CRM. The two companies have such a different product line that the

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 Kroenke - Using MIS 7th Ed - Instructor’s Manual 10

different use of the Internet makes sense. Boeing offers products that are enormously
complex and expensive and are purchased by only a few customers, whereas Amazon
sells thousands of small ticket products to thousands of customers. Traditional CRM
makes sense for Boeing but not for Amazon. Similarly, social CRM makes sense for
Amazon but not for Boeing.

Enterprise 2.0 involves applying Web 2.0 technologies, collaboration systems, social
networking, and related technologies to facilitate the cooperative work of people in
the organization. Certainly, it is possible that an organization can embrace Enterprise
2.0 for its own employees without extending that approach out to its customers. That
may make a lot of sense for companies like Boeing. (LO: 3, Learning Outcome:
Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes, AACSB:
Analytic Skills)

8-15. Google or Bing “Chloé” and search for sites that offer Chloé fashion products.
Identify companies that have purchased the Chloé AdWord. Follow three or four such
links. Identify as many Web 2.0 features in the sites that you encounter as you can.
Explain what you think the business rationale is for each site.
Companies that have purchased the Chloe AdWord include
www.bergdorfgoodman.com, www.matchesfashion.com, and
www.designerapparel.com.

The Bergdorf Goodman site is a traditional e-commerce site, but does include links to
Facebook, Twitter, and has a “Bergdorf Buzz” link for user-generated content.

MatchesFashion.com is a traditional e-commerce site, but does include links to

Facebook and Twitter.

DesignerApparel.com is a traditional e-commerce site.

It appears that Bergdorf Goodman is making more use of Web 2.0 features than the
other sites so that it can strengthen its relationship with its customers. The other sites
are more focused on enabling purchase transactions only. (LO: 5, Learning Outcome:
Discuss the role of information systems in supporting business processes, AACSB:
Analytic Skills)

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fact that she herself was the cause of their silence. Luke indeed did not notice
that Rachel was not talking, or that he himself had very little opportunity of
doing so, for he was naturally a silent man, having contracted the habit from
having so talkative a mother.

Happily after lunch, Mrs. Greville had to go to some parish engagement so

that Rachel and Luke had their chance of a talk; and finally Luke was called
off to see someone and Rachel had the Bishop to herself.

The talk did her good, specially as she made him laugh over the matter of the
two pies.

"Now that lunch is over," she said laughingly, "I am thankful that I changed
them. I believe it would have given my mother-in-law a terrible shock if she
had found out that I neither wanted nor liked her pie. And perhaps it would
have ended in an estrangement between me and Luke as he would have
probably heard of it, and I am quite sure he would never have understood.
And fancy! All because of a pie! How silly and small I am."

CHAPTER IX.
GWEN.

"I expect that Gwen has been in one of her naughty moods," said Rachel, as
she passed the letter she had received from her mother to Luke when they
were at breakfast. "I was the only one who could do anything with her."

"I see that she is coming instead of Sybil."

"Yes, and I am sure that is the reason. I shall love to have her."

"I think I shall be somewhat afraid of that young person," said Luke with a
laugh. "She is one of the independent kind I noticed at our wedding."

"She is a darling, and I know you will love her. But I own that at times she is
an enfant terrible, one never knows what she is going to say next. One thing,
however, we may be sure of, she is absolutely true, and says what she really
thinks. You must prepare for the worst," she added, laughing, "and you must
overlook her faults. I shall not forgive you if you don't love her. To me she is a
most fascinating little thing."

And Gwen arrived the next day. She was a girl of fifteen, tall and slim, not
exactly pretty; but there was a charm about her that could not be denied, and
Rachel, as she met her at the station, could not help hugging her. She was a
bit of home, fresh and sweet; and carried about with her the atmosphere of
golden cornfields and scented hedges. Rachel had not seen anything so fresh
and full of life since leaving home.

On the other hand Gwen had never seen anything like the darkness and dirt
of the town through which she was passing to Rachel's home. She grew silent
as they drove through the streets.

Rachel wondered what she was thinking of, and tried to distract her attention
by questions about her mother and sister; but only received short answers
and in an absent tone of voice.

At last they reached number 8 Wentworth Road.

"Is this it?" asked Gwen incredulously.

"Yes. It is not pretty, but I have tried to make it nice inside; and have quite got
to love it," answered Rachel. She was a little distressed at Gwen's tone of
voice.

When they had given directions to the cabman to leave the luggage a few
doors further up, Rachel took her sister over the house, and they finally settled
down by the drawing-room fire, as the evenings were beginning to get chilly;
though they had not begun fires, Rachel was bent on having one on the day of
Gwen's arrival.

Gwen drew her chair up almost into the fender, and then clasping her hands
behind her head said, "Now I will answer your questions properly about home.
I really couldn't do so in that awful cab and passing through the town. What a
place it is!"

"I suppose it strikes you as very uninviting, but I have got so used to it that I
hardly notice its deformities."

"Well it is time that someone should come and spy out the land," said Gwen. "I
am sure that Mother has no idea of your surroundings."

Rachel laughed.

"Well don't you go and make the worst of them to her," she said. "I have
purposely not enlarged on the subject, as I did not wish to worry her. Besides,
she would imagine that I was not happy, which would be very far from the
truth. I would far rather live in an ugly dirty town with Luke than in the most
beautiful country in the world without him. When you are a little older, Gwen,
you will understand that."

"No I shan't. No man in the world would make up to me for the country. I
should simply die if I had to live here," she added, looking round the tiny room.
"In fact I can't imagine a really unselfish man asking such a sacrifice from the
girl he loves best in all the world."

Rachel laughed merrily. Gwen had got on to her favourite theme, the
selfishness of men. She was always harping on that subject, Rachel
remembered, at Heathland.

"Well, let us leave that and tell me of home," she said, as she was hungering
for news. Then she suddenly drew Gwen's chair closer to her.

"You dear little thing," she said, smoothing her hair tenderly. "How glad I am to
have you. I'm afraid, however, that you have come because you have been
troublesome at home. Is that so?"

"I've come to spy out the land," answered Gwen with a mischievous smile;
"and it's high time."

"Don't be silly, tell me about Mother and Sybil."

"Mother is a dear and lovely as ever. I wish I had not made her cry last week. I
own I was horrid."

"Oh Gwen! You don't know what it is to be without Mother."

"I'm thankful I don't," said Gwen energetically. "If Mother had seen this place
before you married Luke she would never have let you come. By-the-bye, I
suppose that funny little creature that opened the door for us is not Polly who
you write about?"

"Yes, she is Polly. We are great friends."

"But she is not the only one?"

"Of course she is. Why you don't suppose this tiny house requires more than
one servant do you?"

"But that minute specimen cannot do all that is needed by herself."

"Of course not. I help her. Now don't be stupid Gwen; tell me some more
about home."

Gwen shut her mouth indicative of intense disapproval for a moment; then she
began to talk of Heathland; and Rachel listening, could almost feel the wind
blowing over the moors, and see the hedges just touched with hoarfrost in the
morning. She pictured her Mother walking about the garden with her pretty
soft shady hat which they all thought suited her so well, or lying on the cane
sofa in the verandah speaking to the old gardener in her low musical voice.
The vision of her was so vivid that the tears rushed into Rachel's eyes, and
would have fallen had it not been for Gwen's presence. She was determined
that the tiresome child should not have any excuse for supposing she was not
as happy as a queen.

It was at supper that Luke met the 'young person' as he called her, and had to
confess to himself that he was more alarmed at her than she was of him.

Gwen was afraid of no-one, specially of a mere man, as she had made up her
mind that they were a set of selfish human beings who needed to be taught
what was really required of them, and that one woman was worth ten men;
specially such a woman as Rachel whom she loved devotedly.

In fact the selfishness of Luke had chiefly consisted in her mind in taking her
favourite sister away from her. She knew little but that about him, and though
she had been sent away from home in order that a change might help her to
get rid of her very tiresome mood, she preferred looking upon her visit to
Rachel in the light of a spy.
Was Luke worthy of her? Had he made her comfortable? Did he look well after
her? These were the questions that she intended answering during her visit,
and taking the answer back to her mother and sister.

But she soon found that it would not do to make the object of her visit too plain
to Rachel, as the latter showed signs of being vexed; and she might defeat
her own plan. So when Luke came in to supper she was on her best
behaviour, though at times she could not prevent her lips curling at one or two
of his remarks. It seemed to her that he was wrapped up in his own interests
and noticed nothing else. She did not realise the immense importance of his
interests which were centred in his work.

"We must try and give Gwen a little amusement," said Rachel next morning
before her sister arrived for breakfast, "or we shan't keep her with us. Don't
you think we could take her to the wood this afternoon?"

He told her by all means to go to Deasely Woods, but that he had work which
could not be neglected.

To be in the woods again with Gwen satisfied a longing of Rachel's heart.

They left the dullness and dirt of Trowsby behind them, and wandered among
the trees, treading on the soft carpet of fallen leaves and inhaling the scent of
the damp earth.

"How delicious," Rachel exclaimed.

"Do you often come here?" asked Gwen. She knew what the answer would
be.

"No, Luke can't afford the time. You see the calls on his time are endless in
such a parish."

"Bother the parish!" said Gwen.

"No, no, you must not say that. I don't think you quite realise that a
clergyman's life is quite different to that of other people. You would not
approve of a doctor neglecting his patients for pleasure. Well a clergyman is a
physician of souls. And after all souls are more important than bodies."

"I don't know anything about souls," said Gwen.

"Of course you do, don't talk nonsense."

"No, I don't. I don't think I am sure that we have souls. But I am not peculiar in
this. The papers and books are full of doubts of all sorts."

"But my dear child, why do you read such books? We want to build ourselves
up in our most holy faith, and not to read all the views on the other side. How
do you see these books?"

"I find them in the library. Sometimes I wish I had not read them, but you know
I read everything I can get hold of."

Rachel made up her mind to ask Luke to have a talk with Gwen. She was very
distressed at what she told her.

"Luke says that we must not be surprised at all the doubts and strange
theories that are about just now, as he believes we are living in the last days
and must expect the devil to be extra busy. I am sure he is right."

"Don't let us talk of the last days," said Gwen, "but enjoy the country while we
have a chance. You must pine for it in that horrid place."

"I am too busy to think much about it," said Rachel, and she added, "when I
do I turn my thoughts to Luke, and feel how much I have to be thankful for in
having him."

Gwen laughed a little unbelievingly; and on returning to Trowsby, she felt she
could not endure more than a few days in it although her favourite sister lived
there. Of course she helped Rachel with the household work, and made fun of
it; but she hated it for all that, and could not understand how Rachel could
endure it after her life at home. She studied Luke attentively and critically;
nothing escaped her, and a day or two before she left, he heard a knock at his
study door and on opening it found Gwen facing him.

"I want to talk about something very important," she said.

Luke was in the midst of writing a paper to be read at a clerical meeting, and
was sorry to be interrupted; but he invited her in with a smile and drew up a
chair for her. She seated herself and then looked up at him gravely. He
wondered what was coming. Gwen's expression of face was severe.

"I suppose you know how unwell Rachel is," she began.

"Unwell?" said Luke startled.

"Yes, she is quite different to what she was at home. She has lost all her
spirits and looks. Do you mean to say you have not noticed?"

"No, certainly I have not," said Luke. "She is always very bright."

"That's just like a man," said Gwen scornfully. "They never notice when their
wives look ill. They are all alike. Rachel is working far too hard, it will wear her
out."

Luke rose greatly concerned and leant against the mantle piece looking down
at his severe young judge, anxiously.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Perfectly sure. She can't stand this life; having never been used to it. It is all
very well for girls who have been taught how to do things. Some of them quite
like it. But Rachel has never been taught and it is killing her, slowly."

Luke leant his head on his hand which rested on the mantle piece and fixed
sad eyes on the girl. He was too perplexed and worried to speak.

"Rachel positively slaves for you," continued Gwen unmercifully, "but you don't
see or notice. Why only the other evening she carried a heavy coal scuttle into
the dining-room and you were so deep in your paper that you never saw. You
don't see or know half that goes on. But all men are alike. Certainly from all I
see of married life I never intend to marry; if I do I am determined to be an old
man's darling rather than a young man's slave."

Worried as Luke was, he could not resist a smile, as the thought crossed his
mind that Gwen would probably never have the chance of being either. He
could not imagine any man falling in love with such an audacious young
person. His smile however quickly disappeared as Gwen said:

"I suppose you love her still?"

"Love her!" He grew white and his eyes flashed so fiercely that Gwen for a
moment quailed.

"Child, you don't know what you are talking about," he said, and stood looking
at her with amazement and anger.

"Well you don't seem to. At home when you were engaged I now and then
intercepted glances between you that almost reconciled me to losing my
favourite sister, as I was assured by them that she was all the world to you,
and that you would take care of her. But now you scarcely seem aware of her
presence, and she might be a piece of furniture for all the attention she gets. I
can't think how she can bear it."

Had Luke not remembered his calling, and had he not been accustomed to
keep himself in check, he would have shaken the girl who had constituted
herself as his judge. As it was he went towards his writing table and began
arranging his papers, saying:

"I am sorry I cannot spare you any more time. When you are a little older you
will understand more of the meaning of love," he added looking at her gravely,
"that a man and his wife are so one that it is perfectly unnecessary for them to
remind each other of their existence or of their love for one another. Happily
for me Rachel understands and absolutely trusts me."

Gwen rose.

"But that does not explain about the coal scuttle business," she said, "I do
hope Luke," she added, "that you will take care of her. She has given up
everything for you."

Luke held the door open for Gwen politely, and was silent. Then he locked it
after her and sitting down by his desk tried to write. But he found this was
impossible. He felt all on edge. How dared the child talk as she did; but when
his irritation had subsided the remembrance of her words fell like lead on his
heart. Was it a fact Rachel had lost her spirits and that Gwen saw a real
change in her since her marriage?

He began pacing up and down his study while a terrible anxiety weighed upon
his mind. Was she not happy? Did she regret the step she had taken? And the
fear that every now and then had attacked him as to the rightfulness of taking
her away from her happy home, gained ground.

He could laugh off the ridiculous fuss Gwen had made about the coal scuttle.
Of course he had been quite unaware of Rachel carrying the heavy weight
across the room. He was able so to concentrate his attention on what he was
reading that he seldom noticed what was passing round about him, unless he
was trying to solve some difficult problem, when every sound disturbed him.
But he was so used to reading while Rachel moved about the room that he
had noticed nothing till he remembered Gwen had called out to him, "Luke,
don't you see that Rachel is carrying the scuttle?" when he had risen at once,
but too late.
That it proved in the very least that he was not careful of her he would not
admit for a moment. Neither did he pay any heed to Gwen's ridiculous fancy
that because he was not always showing his devotion to his wife by his
glances, his affection had waned. These ideas did not trouble him; but the fact
that Gwen had noticed Rachel was looking and had lost her spirits was quite
another thing, and it worried him exceedingly.

Meanwhile Gwen had gone into the drawing-room where she found Rachel
writing home. She turned round at the sound of her entrance.

"What have you been talking to Luke about?" she said a little anxiously. "You
have been a long time in the study."

"I have been giving him a lecture," answered Gwen, seating herself on a low
chair by the writing table.

"What?" exclaimed Rachel. She could hardly believe she heard aright.

"I have been giving him a lecture," repeated Gwen. "Husbands occasionally
need one."

"My dear child what do you mean?" said her sister laying down her pen. "I had
hoped you might have been having a nice helpful talk with him."

"Well, I hope it has been helpful to him."

"You sound as if you had been rather impertinent," said Rachel not pleased.
"What have you been saying?"

"All husbands are alike," answered Gwen. "They get nice girls to marry them,
taking them away from their homes, and no sooner have they got them than
they seem to forget their existence. I have been studying husbands lately, that
is to say since my friend Mabel married. Men are fearfully selfish."

Rachel looked gravely at her sister.

"Gwen, I advise you to wait to give out your opinions till you are a little older.
You really talk like a very silly child. I hope if you have been saying anything
impertinent to Luke that you will apologise to him before you are an hour
older. I am quite horrified at you."

Rachel's face was flushed, and Gwen saw she was more angry with her than
she had ever been in her life. But she was not daunted. Here was her
favourite sister, whom she adored, tied for life to a man who was engrossed in
his parish and had no time whatever to think of her. She felt boiling with rage.

"I certainly shall not apologise," she said, "it would take away any little good
my words may have done. I think I have come to spy out the land none too
soon, and that Luke will awake to see that what I have said anyhow has some
sense in it, and that he will not let you carry the coal scuttle another time."

Rachel looking at Gwen's earnest and rather anxious face repented that she
had been so stern with her. After all she was only an ignorant child. She could
not expect an old head on young shoulders; besides, Gwen was always
putting her foot into it, talking of things about which she really knew nothing.
The family took her sayings for what they were worth and laughed at them.
She wished she had not taken her so seriously.

But the fact was, that Rachel was conscious that Luke sometimes surprised
her by not doing what he would have done during their courtship. He had
been very chivalrous in those days, and more careful of her than was
necessary. Now he often let her do things for him which he would in those
days have done for her. At times the consciousness of this had a little hurt her;
he seemed to have lost, where she was concerned, his old world courtesy.
She remembered feeling ashamed when Mrs. Stone had come to tea, that he
had let her, his wife, do all the waiting while he sat still and talked. He was so
interested in his conversation that he had never noticed it.

But these were such very little things after all, that Rachel had made up her
mind not to notice them. However, the fact that Gwen had noticed them made
her feel sore and somewhat indignant with her sister. But glancing again at the
child who had tears in her eyes at the thought that Rachel was wasted on
Luke, anger fled, and an amused smile took its place.

"Oh Gwen dear," she said, "I wish you could see how ridiculous you are. What
do all those little things matter when people love one another as Luke and I
love? You see you are too young to understand. I really advise you to put
away your silly imaginations." She ended up with a laugh.

"Well then," said Gwen, "I will give you advice, rather than Luke. Why don't
you teach him what to do?"

Rachel laughed out loud. "Don't be foolish," she said.

"I'm not foolish," said Gwen earnestly. "But I have read, and I think it is
probably true, that a woman can make a man what she wants him to be."
"Explain yourself," said Rachel amused.

"I mean that you should teach him to remember that as a husband he is
bound to follow your wishes. Tell him, for instance, to fetch the coals for you;
to open the door when you have your hands full; and to hand the tea about
when you have people. I have noticed that Mrs. Graham, who has one of the
best of husbands, does this, and the consequence is that he waits on her as if
he were her slave. You know, Rachel, at present you are Luke's slave."

"Well now you have done your lecture," said Rachel good-humouredly, "So
we'll go out, and I hope to hear no more of it; but I feel strongly you ought to
ask Luke's pardon for what must have struck him as great impertinence."

"I shall do no such thing," said Gwen. "I think you will find that he profits by my
words."

But as Luke took her home as usual at night, leaving her at the door of the
house in which was her room, having talked to her as if nothing had,
happened, Gwen felt rather small. It did not look much as if he had profitted or
indeed remembered her lecture. This was decidedly snubbing, but then Gwen
was used to being snubbed.

CHAPTER X.
THE TRAINING BEGINS.

Rachel was not very sorry to remember that Gwen would be leaving in a few
days. She might do a great deal of mischief if she stayed longer with them.
Anyhow she would probably make Luke unhappy if she talked to him in the
same way as she had spoken to her.

But there was only one part of Gwen's conversation that had effect on Luke,
and that was the fear of Rachel's health suffering from the change from the
country to the overpopulated town.

When he had left Gwen at the door of her lodging, he hurried home, and after
hanging up his hat in the hall, made his way to the drawing-room where he
knew he would find Rachel. She was working, but on his entrance looked up,
and their eyes meeting, both knew that Gwen was the subject of their
thoughts. Rachel was the first to speak.

"I don't know exactly what that silly child has been saying to you," she said,
"but I'm afraid she has been very impertinent."

"Well I can't deny that she has said some outrageous things," he said
laughing, "but after all she is only a child."

"And you must forgive her," said Rachel. "We never take any notice of what
Gwen says. She gets the most ridiculous notions into her head. I hope you are
not letting the thought of her worry you."

"A great deal of what she said was sheer nonsense," he answered, "but I own
what she hinted about your health distresses me. I only hope it is not true."

"My health? But what did she say? I am perfectly well."

"She has made me so anxious that I want you to go home with her for a few
weeks."

"Go home! And leave you behind! No thank you. It would do me no good at
all. Besides, I am perfectly well and don't need a change. What a stupid little
thing she is; but do look over her folly and try and like her," said Rachel. "She
has such good points. For instance, she is perfectly true."

"Possibly," said Luke, smiling; then he added, "I can't say I am exactly
enamoured of her."

"No, but when you know her better you will see her virtues. I am afraid she
has been really impertinent to you."

Luke did not answer. He leaned forward and looked at Rachel anxiously.
"Are you sure that you are feeling well? Gwen seems to think that you are
tired out. Is that the fact?"

"Tired out? What with? I have only this tiny house to see after; in fact I don't
think I have enough to do."

Luke sighed a sigh of relief.

"Then I needn't worry?"

"Certainly not. Put it right from your mind. It is only a child's nonsense."

And Luke did as he was asked and worried no more about her.

He left her to write some letters before going to bed, and Rachel sat working;
but her thoughts were busy.

Although Gwen had talked a great deal of nonsense was there not a grain of
truth in some of her words? "A woman can make a man what she wants him
to be," she had said: she had evidently read this in a book, it had not come out
of her own little head. Rachel supposed there was some truth in the words;
and possibly she had been unwise herself in not insisting more that the
attentions that had been shown her during her courtship should not be
dropped now that they were man and wife. She was afraid that she had
unwisely done things herself instead of asking Luke to do them, and then was
surprised that he had lost the habit of waiting upon her. She had got in the
way of waiting on him and of saving him all extra effort when he came in from
his work in the parish.

She knew that in Luke's case it was often simply absentmindedness that
prevented him seeing of what she was in need at the moment. Once buried in
a book nothing would arouse him save her voice; or if he was in the midst of
an argument with a fellow clergyman, he would quite unconsciously allow
Rachel to help them both to tea though it meant rising from her seat. At times
she had felt a little indignant at the two men sitting while she served them; but
on the other hand if at her request he handed round the hot tea cake, he
would stand with the plate in his hand talking, while the contents got cold, or
would absently hold the kettle while Rachel watched in anxiety lest the water
should pour out on to the carpet, or on to his foot. It was easier to do these
things herself. She had not known that anyone notice these little omissions on
Luke's part; but evidently Gwen had taken count of them at once.
"A woman can make a man what she wants him to be." Yes, but save in these
few insignificant matters Luke was exactly what she wanted him to be, and in
these small matters perhaps she had been at fault, not him. Gwen had
opened her eyes; though she would not tell her so. Rachel felt that she had
made it easy for him to neglect little home courtesies. When the child had
gone she would behave somewhat differently.

Gwen came to breakfast next morning just as if nothing had occurred between
her and her brother-in-law: and Luke, who had put away the thought of
Rachel's health being affected by living in Trowsby, was too large-minded to
bear any grudge to the girl for the audacious things she had said to him. He
banished them from his mind, recognising the fact that Gwen was after all only
a child, and would learn better by-and-bye.

Rachel, however, found her a little trying, as Gwen after breakfast, took her to
task about more than one matter.

"You should be the President of a Mutual Improvement Society, Gwen," she

said laughing. "You have got terribly into the habit of setting people to rights,
or rather trying to do so. You want to go through a course of snubbing, my
child. Have you apologised to Luke yet?"

"Certainly not. And you know Rachel I can't help thinking that my lecture has
done him good. When I came in I saw him actually pouring the water into the
tea pot for you."

Rachel laughed, but she did not inform Gwen that she had begun the training
of her husband that morning. And that Luke had risen to it as if it were a
matter of course. He was, in fact, perfectly unconscious that he had not
always poured the water from the kettle into the teapot for his wife.

"You see I was right after all," continued Gwen. "Men only want to be taught
what to do."

"You were a very impertinent little girl," said Rachel. "And Luke felt you to be
so, only he is too kind and noble to remind you of it this morning."

"Well I shall remind him of it later on," said Gwen calmly, "as I have a few
more home truths to tell him."

"I forbid you to do anything of the sort," said Rachel, really angry now. "You
have no idea how ashamed I am of you, nor how much harm you might have
done if Luke was not as good and kind as he is."
Gwen, who was helping to clear away the breakfast things, stood still with the
plates she was carrying and looked at Rachel.

That the sister to whom she was so devoted could possibly speak to her in
such a severe tone of voice when she had been doing all she could, as far as
she knew, to help her, went to her heart. She stood still and looked at her with
tears in her eyes.

"Are you really ashamed of me?" she asked with a catch in her voice.

"Yes I am. I can't think how you could possibly have spoken impertinently to
Luke."

Gwen gave a little sob.

"I didn't mean to be impertinent," she said, "It was only because I love you so
much and couldn't bear to find you in this horrid pokey little house and looking
ill and tired. I don't see why you should feel ashamed of me when it was all my
love that did it," and Gwen laid down the plates to find her handkerchief.

Rachel's tender heart relented.

"Don't cry Gwen dear," she said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I know you
didn't mean to do any harm; and as a matter of fact I am sure no harm has
been done; but you must remember it does not do to talk over a wife with a
husband. It is not wise."

Gwen threw her arms round Rachel promising to ask Luke's pardon for
speaking as she did. She assured Rachel she would do anything in the world
for her. And she kept her promise. No sooner did she hear Luke open the front
door and go up to his study just before dinner, than she ran after him. She
was no coward.

"I expect I was impertinent to you yesterday," she said, looking at him straight
in the face, "at least Rachel tells me I was. I didn't mean to be; only I meant to
tell you the truth and you know husbands do sometimes need the truth to be
told them."

Luke laughed heartily.

"Happily," he said, "it was not the truth so it does not signify in the least. I
shan't think of it again."
"Oh but it was the truth," said Gwen flushing, "but I don't mean to say anything
more about it. I might perhaps have said it more gently and in a more polite
manner; and I'm awfully sorry that Rachel is ashamed of me."

Luke fancied he heard a little catch in her voice and looked at her kindly. He
could hardly refrain from laughing out loud at her.

"Well you can put it out of your head and not think of it any more. I quite
appreciate the fact that it was out of your love and anxiety for Rachel that you
spoke as you did, and so we will be good friends again."

Gwen looked down and her lips trembled. "Thank you," she said. "And you will
take care of her, won't you."

He patted her on the shoulder and told her to run away as he was busy. And
Gwen, having no more to say, obeyed; but she felt rather small.

She resented the pat on her shoulder just as if she were a child. She was not
sure that she liked Luke at all.

"I can't think," said Gwen after dinner, as she and her sister were sitting
working in the drawing-room, "how it is that you don't show in the least that
you do any house work. You look as dainty and as pretty as ever."

Rachel laughed.

"When I began to realise that a great part of my day would be taken up with
dusting," she answered, "I bought the prettiest overall I could find."

"You look as if you had just come straight out of the garden and ought to have
your hands full of roses." Gwen looked with adoring eyes at her sister, adding:

"But there is a new expression on your face somehow. I think you are really
prettier than ever."

"If so it is love that has made me so," said Rachel.

Gwen laughed. "I don't quite believe that," she said.

Rachel smiled to herself, as she thought of the day on which she had bought
the overall, and had shown it to her mother-in-law with pride.

Mrs. Greville had looked at it critically, remarking:

"But you need not have gone to the expense of getting such a fanciful thing.
You could have got a yard or two of some good strong material and made it up
yourself. It would have served your purpose quite as well."

"I don't think so," Rachel answered laughing, "you see I like to be ornamental
as well as useful."

"You need not worry about making yourself ornamental," said Mrs. Greville.
"What you really want to do is to strive to be useful."

"Oh mayn't I be both? I do believe in beauty. I think our houses and everything
we possess should be made as beautiful as possible. It makes life easier and
happier." Unconsciously she looked round at the drab walls and ugly furniture.

Rachel would not on any account have complained of either to her mother-in-
law; and her glance round had not been meant to imply anything of the sort to
her. It had been done before she realised what she was doing or how her look
might be interpreted. But by the sudden change in Mrs. Greville's expression
of face she recognised what a mistake she had made.

Mrs. Greville had put a great restraint on herself ever since Rachel's arrival,
and had been most careful not to show her disappointment in Luke's choice of
a wife, to her daughter-in-law.

But Rachel's unappreciative glance round at the walls and furniture hurt her
inexpressibly, as she had lain awake many nights planning how she could
make the little house as homelike and attractive as possible. She quite
thought she had succeeded. Having lived all her life with early Victorian
furniture she saw nothing ugly in it; and indeed it struck her as both homelike
and comfortable. She had, moreover, spared several pieces of furniture which
she had decidedly missed when she had had to turn out into a barely
furnished room for the sake of her son's wife. But evidently nothing that she
had done for Rachel's comfort was appreciated. The disappointment was so
great that she turned a little pale.

"I am sorry Rachel," she said, in a strained tone of voice, "that we were not
able to supply you with Sheraton furniture. You see you have changed a
luxurious home for a poor one and must bear the consequences. We have to
cut our coat according to our cloth. I am sorry that our efforts are so painful to
you."

Rachel had flushed crimson.

She was tongue-tied for the moment. She could not tell a lie and say that the
furniture, which she had labelled in her mind as hideous, was to her taste. She
looked beseechingly at Mrs. Greville.

"I am sorry, my dear, if I have distressed you by my remark," said Mrs.

Greville, "but don't try to explain the look you gave at the furniture, I could not
possibly mistake its meaning."

Then while Rachel in her confusion and distress murmured her regret, Mrs.
Greville looked round the dining-room.

"I think perhaps I ought to have had the walls papered afresh and a lighter
colour," she had said. "I daresay it looks a little dull to a young creature like
you, and," she added, remorse getting the better of her, "I ought to be grateful
to you, for though you don't like my papers you love my son," and Mrs.
Greville ended by bestowing a hearty kiss on her son's wife before hurrying
away.

Rachel was left standing in the middle of the room with her eyes full of tears.
Something about her mother-in-law had touched her for the first time; and she
began to wonder if she might not possibly in the future learn to love her. She
wondered too how she could ever look her in the face again. She must have
seemed so terribly ungrateful and ungracious, not to say ill mannered. But her
glance round the room at the walls and its furniture had been quite involuntary,
and she had had no intention whatever of letting Mrs. Greville know how she
disliked them.

She smiled now as she remembered her mother-in-law's criticism on her

pretty overall, but the smile faded as she realised that though she had taken
the Bishop's advice and was trying hard not to allow her thoughts to rest on
the trials that she had had to meet in her new home, she had not by any
means yet succeeded in learning to love her mother-in-law.
 CHAPTER XI.
THE CHOIR THREATEN TO STRIKE.

It had not taken Rachel long to discover that she had married an untidy man.
Being very tidy and dainty in her ways herself, this discovery was rather a
shock to her. But she came to the conclusion that Luke's mind was so full of
the things that really mattered, that the less important things were nothing to
him though they meant a great deal to her.

Remembering her promise, the morning after she had prepared his study for
him, she had awakened earlier than usual and had gone there the first thing.
She had promised him that she would be responsible for keeping it in order
and that Polly should have nothing to do with it. On opening the door she
stood still and laughed at what she saw.

It looked to her in terrible disorder! Though he tried to convince her afterwards

that there was such a thing as a tidy untidyness. He knew just where
everything was, he said, and could lay his hand upon it.

But to Rachel's eyes disorder reigned.

Because the waste paper basket was not just at hand, he had thrown on to
the floor his many torn up letters. Books were piled on the ground. His table
was strewn with papers: there was scarcely a chair without some volume of
reference on its seat.

Rachel picked up all the torn letters putting them into the waste paper basket,
arranged the books, with a certain amount of trepidation, on the shelves, and
finally lifted up every letter and paper from the table to dust them, laying them
back in exactly the same position as she found them. She opened the window
carefully, anxious lest some of the papers that strewed the desk should take to
themselves wings and fly away.

It amused her the first morning, she felt that Luke had indeed needed a study.
But the care of the room added to her work and took time as she had to be so
careful not to disturb anything. And in her heart of hearts she wished that Luke
was tidy!
Another thing that troubled her was the fact that on the muddiest days Luke
would run upstairs without wiping his boots. He was always in such a
desperate hurry to get through the numberless letters that awaited his
attention on his study writing table that he would hurriedly hang up his hat in
the hall, and then spring upstairs two steps at a time and shut himself in. The
necessity of rubbing his boots never occurred to him. His mind was full of
important matters, things that had just taken place, and letters that had to be
posted. Then to brush his coat and hat before going out never crossed his
mind. He was always so hurried, and Rachel supposed that he expected to
find everything that was necessary to be done, done for him.

When the snow came in December she remonstrated with him once about his
boots, and on looking at the marks of his footsteps on the stairs he was filled
with remorse, as he recognised that he had made unnecessary work for
Rachel.

But he forgot it next time, and his wife felt that to remind him again and again
would only worry and fret him. For she recognised that the work he had to get
through was immense and that it was her duty to make life as easy for him as
possible. He worked far too hard, and it seemed to Rachel that the time he
could spend in his own home grew shorter every month. She was getting used
to it, and though at times the winter evenings felt long to her, and it was
somewhat of an effort not to give way to low spirits, she fought bravely against
melancholy, and always had a smile of welcome for her husband.

She had made a few friends by the winter and now and then Mrs. Stone would
run in with her knitting to spend the evening with her.

Rachel was conscious that Luke by his outspokenness made enemies and
that all was not harmonious in the parish, so it was a comfort to know that in
Mrs. Stone, both she and her husband had a valiant supporter, and that she
would act as peacemaker whenever she had the chance.

It must be confessed, however, that Mrs. Stone liked the role she had
undertaken for she was very fond of giving advice. She had taken a fancy to
Rachel and pitied her. Mrs. Greville, senior, was no favourite of hers, and
though Rachel was far too loyal to talk over her husband's mother with any
parishioner, Mrs. Stone could not but gather sometimes from silences on
Rachel's part, and by what she saw and heard from others, that Mrs. Greville
was deeply disappointed in her son's wife; and naturally a sensitive girl like
Rachel must be aware of the fact. It was to Mrs. Stone's credit that she kept
her views to herself and discussed no-one belonging to the Vicar with his
parishioners.
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