e isn't anything in the world you could ask me to do
that I wouldn't do, Rose."

"I want you to marry me to-morrow," she said. And then, as for a moment
he remained silent, she began to cry. "Oh, Jervis, do say yes--unless
you very, very much want to say no!"

* * * * *

During the next forty-eight hours Sir Jacques Robey settled what was to
be done, when it should be done, and how it was to be done.

Of the people concerned, it was perhaps Lady Blake who seemed the most
under his influence. She submitted without a word to his accompanying
her into her son's bedroom, and it was in response to his insistent
command--for it was no less--that instead of alluding to the tragic
thing which filled all her thoughts, she only spoke of the morrow's
wedding, and of her happiness in the daughter her son was giving her.

It was Sir Jacques, too, who persuaded Mrs. Otway to agree that an
immediate marriage was the best of all possible solutions for Rose as
well as for Jervis; and it was he, also, who suggested that Sir John
Blake should go over to the Deanery and make all the necessary
arrangements with Dr. Haworth. But perhaps the most striking example of
Sir Jacques's good sense and thoroughness occurred after Sir John had
been to the Deanery.

Dr. Haworth had fallen in with every suggestion with the most eager,
ready sympathy; and Sir John, who before coming to Witanbury had
regarded him as a pacifist and pro-German, had come really to like and
respect him. So it was that now, as he came back from the Deanery, and
up to the gate of the Trellis House, he was in a softer, more yielding
mood than usual.

Sir Jacques hurried out to meet him. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes--everything's settled. But it's your responsibility, not mine!"

"I've been wondering, Sir John, whether the Dean reminded you that we
shall require a wedding ring?"

"No, he did not." Sir John Blake looked rather taken aback. "I wonder
what I'd better do?" he muttered helplessly.

"You and Lady Blake had better go into the town and buy one," said Sir
Jacques. "I don't feel that we can put _that_ job on poor little Rose.
She's had quite enough to do as it is--and gallantly she's done it!"

And as Sir John began to look cross and undecided, the other said with a
touch of sharpness, "Of course if you'd rather not do it, I'll buy the
ring myself. But I've been neglecting my work this morning."

Ashamed of his ungraciousne