ll the thin

et this

oes it with

hardly went out. Miss Chester believed in seven days' un

y, and was constantly shut up in the library

you know," she told Marie. "Your father ha

had not much significance for her, but she watched the c

into the drawing-room, where she was trying to read and trying not to list

uld not see his face very distinctly, though she felt in some curious

are you

her age when they had grown up together? But s

our age, too," h

a faint sense of hurt

was married at ei

can't imagine you marrie

ee why not," she ob

s eyes upon her. Then he said, irrelevantly, it seemed: "Aft

tified. She could

well-eh?"

tly. "Oh, yes," she sai

u for a ride in the car to- morro

at this was not what he had originally intended to say t

that followed, for Christopher no longer went out and about w

ng and looking at the clock as if he were anxiously waiting for something, or for time to pass

suddenly-the mi

when London seemed sunbaked and breathless, and o

as prowling round the drawing-room, with its heavy, old- fashioned furn

step towards the door and came back again. There was an oddly nervou

itors left, and presently, with a little murmured exc

, as if he suddenly found it too tight, and his voice

t, Marie Celeste! I can't br

It had been his boy's way of pretending to scorn her French name,

eady in a few minutes, and they went

Chris suggested they should

be a breez

appy; she was sure that every woman they passed must be envying her for walki

inster Abbey. There was a service going on inside, and through t

opped, too, though he fidgeted restlessly, and drew p

ed on again he

ll since you came hom

s were raise

ris! Of

wned a

should always get on as wel

something in his voice set her heart beating fast. Wh

then he said with a rush: "The f

e of crimson surged over her face, rushing away again and leaving

He was afraid that she was going to fa

to think about?" he ask

rapture that flooded her heart was almost unbearable. Bu

He sat beside her and stared at his feet while she rec

ld put up with me for the r

that she was not pretty. Her eyes were like stars. She se

t no words would come. She just gave him he

hedral came the wonderful strains of the organ. Then suddenly it ceased, and Ch

feet, looking a

ll Aunt Madge that we

"Ye

t She dreaded lest with every moment

t Madge pretended to be surprised, and cried and kissed the

a staunch teetotaler, but Chris said no, he could not stay-he had an appointment. He went of

topped and looked b

leste," he said. "I'll- er-I'll tell th

he seventh heaven of happiness. When she went to bed she looked out at the starry sky,

issed by Chris-even on the cheek-was a delirious happiness; to wear his rin

must of necessity be quiet, owing to their mourning. Marie Celeste agreed to everything-she was still living in the

to be best man, and Marie's special school

. "But if one starts to invite people, Chris has so many friends, it will be difficult to know where

have minded going off with Chris alone to church in her oldest

was fixed

rred. "It's such an unlucky day! Su

you, Marie Celeste? I think Friday is a good

the best day in all the week she sai

the end of July, it rained hard when Marie woke i

window, down which the raindrops w

o bad on such a day! It was the fir

she was wanted at home. Marie was bitterly disappointed, but she was young and in love; the world lay at her feet, and long befo

e told the old lady, kissing her. "What is the

ound the girl and looked in

sure, quite sure,

ed wide with amazement. "Why, I have

rst time her child's face was a little grave. Perhaps it was the dismal day that oppressed her, or perh

emed to whisper, and she raised her head proudly a her heart

Marie as she stepped from the car into the porch. She wore a little traveling frock of pale

hild, and for a moment a queer pang touched the heart of young Lawless as he turne

and her brown eyes met his with such complete love and trust th

ten minutes little Marie Celeste was the wife of the man she had adored all he

h a sentimental remembrance of other weddings, had tied an old shoe, and it flo

r looked at hi

n't have had a wor

t does it matter a

then he was a man, and a man-even a bridegroom-never see

then they were home, and Miss Chester, who had followed hard on their heels in another car, was cry

airs and changed her frock, because it was still pouring with rain, and wrapped her small self into a warm coat, a

k on Christopher's face or the way in which his eyes avoided hers. She never thought it odd when in the train he provided her with

shy adoration. He was her husband-she was

ary months and weeks during which she would

ous of her gaze,

d?" h

N

en? You ate

I had ever

dinner to-night, and s

lunch to- day, and she did not like it, but to please Ch

were going to a seaside

at the lakes, Chris?" Miss Chester ha

nothing to do there. We

and the liveliest hotel in the town-a hotel at which

ple wherever he went, and in his heart he was

ho knew that they were newly married. He went off to the buffet and ordered himself the strongest brandy he could get; while upstairs Marie was

at her door. He had changed into evening c

s blue eyes wandered

ike a fairy

d happily. "Do yo

twisted for h

They went downstairs toge

he said, as they sat down to table. "I'll i

"Did you? Did they know yo

old

y very su

wned, recalling the very downright criticism w

be left to herself for a little afterwards in the coolness of the lounge outside, while Chris went

r confused her. She was wondering how she would ever find her way through all th

poken with a little laugh that sound

om Chris had spoken to her before dinner. She leaned a little forward, trying to see

esently Marie heard a laugh and a second voice say: "Ch

known all his life. Qui

roman

ly. "There's not much romance in it from all accou

ening, but there seemed no other sound in all the wo

ed he left it in his will that they were to have half each on condition they married-but if they didn't, the whole lot went to the girl! Well, you know what Law

's not keen

ever have! Of course, I don't know what the girl's like-I'm rather curious to meet her, I admit-but from what I know o

if she saw them now for the first time; her hands loosely clasped i

In her heart she knew that she had always thought her happiness too great to last. She drew a l

on emphatically. "I think he's the best old chap in the world

an awful position for him. She shut her eye

hat could she say to him

as a queer little pain in her hand, and looking down blankly, she saw that her na

them on condition they marri

t her brain as if dar

er had enough to spend! She could remember when he first

ther had always preferred him to herself, strange as it

hris in cricketing flannels, making her do all the bowling and fielding while he had the bat, Chris in his first silk hat, daring h

idea too dreadful?" and she supposed now he had s

d before her eyes rose a dreadful picture of the future in which Chris

own way. He would make his own friends and his own amuse

amusement in it. "Fancy a honeymoon in this hotel! He didn't mean to be dull, d

en her wedding handkerchief-Aunt Madge had given it to her just before they sta

ier than your mother, darling child," s

y, and she was glad when she saw that unconsciously she had torn the little lace handkerchief to r

ith a yawn, and there was a movement on the other side

she sat on, numbed and cold, until presently

ant to introduce you to Dakers, Marie Celeste!" He seemed consc

her feet, fo

ittle. I think it

s la

It will do

nd led her across the lounge to where a grou

e of them on

to introduce yo

ly. "Marie, this is Dakers- otherwis

castle tumbling down? she wondered, and her brown eyes were

features, and a skin burnt almost black by constant exposure to wind and weather, but his

instantly as the voice of the man who, with ca

old rascal of a husband well, Mrs. Lawless. M

hris struck in casually. "Don't p

ho had been standing looking on rathe

ed. He gripped Marie's ha

id. "Shall we go and look on? Chris

ed dazed e

Feathers?" she

So-called on account of my hair-which invari

over his shaggy hea

ow what the game of

kins began

th of them, and we shall get some fun out o

d at his wi

I didn't play," he began diffiden

e! I should lo

e could not realize the full enormity of what she had just discovered, her one dread was lest she should still further alienate him. She knew that Chris

marry him had been utterly wiped out of her mind. He was once again just the Chris whom she had always blindly adored, without hope of reciproc

explained the game, but it all sounded like double Dutch. The smoke of the many cigars and cigarettes of the men around h

looked a fine figure of a man in his shirt-sleeves, she tho

supposed he thought that she was quit

of some girl other than herself. It seemed dreadfully sad, she thought, and then smiled, realizing that she was the little

ng of her 23 married life watching a game of billiards

s looked do

pardon. What

-I only

from coming again. How stupid she was

hris came a

ke some coffe

thank

is eyes were watching the table the whole time, and without

her. "I always tell him he's a rotten player, but he isn't a

session, carefully pasted up with every little newspaper cutting that had ever been printed about him, from the firs

om the newspapers so that she could add it to her collection, and Aunt Madge had promised. Somehow it made her

ed to see nothing but those smooth, ivory balls, and the

her. Poor old Feathers 24 was not in the ru

can serve! As good as any Wimbledon 'pro'! I'll bet

s, but it was too late, for Marie had sli