.

And it was then, towards the close of that wedding ceremony, that Sir
Jacques suddenly made up his mind what should be the words graven inside
what he intended should be his wedding gift to Rose Blake--that gift was
a fine old-fashioned ruby ring, the only one of his mother's jewels he
possessed, and the words he then chose in his own mind were those of the
Psalmist, "O well is thee, and happy shalt thou be."

CHAPTER XXVI

"DEAR MRS. OTWAY,

"I am so very glad to be able to send you the enclosed. Of
course I have not read it. In fact I do not know German. But I
gather that it contains news of Major Guthrie, and that it is
written with a kindly intention. It was probably intended to
arrive for Christmas.

"Yours very truly,

"ANNABEL GAUNT.

"P.S.--Any letters you write in answer must be left open."

The envelope enclosed by Mrs. Gaunt, which bore the Censor's stamp, had
come from Switzerland, and had been forwarded by favour of the Geneva
Red Cross.

With an indescribable feeling of suspense, of longing, and of relief,
Mrs. Otway drew out the sheet of paper. It was closely covered with the
cramped German characters with which she was, of course, familiar.

"MINDEN,

"_15 December, 1914._

"DEAR MADAM,

"As Medical Superintendent of the Field Lazarette at Minden, I
write on behalf of a British prisoner of war, Major Guthrie,
who has now been under my care for fourteen weeks.

"I wish to assure you that he has had the very highest medical
skill bestowed on him since he came here. Owing to the
exceptional exigencies and strain put on our Medical Service
at the Front, he did not perhaps obtain the care to which he
was entitled by our merciful and humane usages of war, as soon
as would have been well. He received a most serious wound in
the shoulder. That wound, I am pleased to tell you, is in as
good a state as possible, and will leave no ill-effects.

"But I regret to tell you, Madam, that Major Guthrie has lost
his eyesight. He bears this misfortune with remarkable
fortitude. As a young man I myself spent a happy year in
Edinburgh, and so we have agreeable subjects of conversation.
He tells me you are quite familiar with my language, or I
should of course have written to you in English.

"Believe me, Madam,

"To remain with the utmost