n upon them to keep them all their lives through.

It is with a good heart of hope that Mr. Cope speaks that blessing,
knowing that, as far as human eye can judge, here stands a man who truly
feareth the Lord, and beside him a woman with the ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit.

They are leaving the church now, the bridegroom and his bride, arm in
arm, but they turn from the path to the wicket, and Harold will not let
even Matilda follow them. Just by the south wall of the church there are
three graves, one a very long one, one quite short, one of middle length.
The large one has a head-stone, with the names of Charles King, aged
forty years, and Charles King, aged seven years. The middle-sized one
has a stone cross, and below it 'Alfred King, aged sixteen years,' and
the words, 'In all their afflictions He was afflicted.'

It was Matilda who paid the cost of that stone, Miss Selby who drew the
pattern of it, and 'Mother' who chose the words, as what Alfred himself
loved best. At the bottom of Ellen's best work-box is a copy of verses
about that very cross. She thinks they ought to have been carved out
upon it, but Paul knows a great deal better, so all she could do was to
write them out on a sheet of note-paper with a wide lace border, and keep
them as her greatest treasure. Perhaps she prizes them even more than
the handsome watch that Mr. Shaw gave Paul, though less, of course, than
the great Bible and Prayer-book, in which Mr. Cope has waited till this
morning to write the names of Paul and Ellen Blackthorn.

So they stand beside the cross, and read the words, and they neither of
them can say anything, though the white sweet face is before the eyes of
their mind at the same time, and Ellen thinks she loves Paul twice as
much for having been one of his great comforts.

'Good-bye, Alfred dear,' she whispers at last.

'No, not good-bye,' says Paul. 'He is as much with us as ever, wherever
we are. Remember how we were together, Ellen. I have always thought of
him at every Holy Communion since, and have felt that if till now, no one
living--at least one at rest, were mine by right.'

Ellen pressed his arm.

'Yes,' said Paul; 'the months I spent with Alfred were the great help and
blessing of my life. I don't believe any recollection has so assisted to
guard me in all the frets and temptations there are in a life like mine.'

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRIARSWOOD POST-OFFICE***

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