half-past--and there she would get a fast express to London later on,
after a good breakfast; and once in London a cab would take her to Mr.
Parsons', and after that!--money and freedom!

She had planned it all. She would leave a letter for her Uncle and Aunt,
saying she was married and had gone and they need not trouble themselves
any more about her. Mr. Parsons would tell her where to stay and help
her to get a good maid like Moravia had, and then she would go to Paris
just as Moravia had done and buy all sorts of lovely clothes; it would
take her perhaps a whole month, and then when she was a very grand,
grown-up lady, she would write to her dear friend and say now she was
ready to accept her invitation to go and stay with her! And what
absolute joy to give Moravia such a surprise! to say she was married and
free! and had quite as nice things as even that Princess! It was all a
simply glorious picture--and but for this kind young man it could never
have been hers--but her fate would have been--Samuel Greenbank or Aunt
Jemima for four years! It was no wonder she felt grateful to him! and
that her handshake was full of cordiality.

Michael pulled himself together rather sharply, the blood was now
running very fast in his veins.

"Wait here," he said to her, "while I go into the chapel to see if Mr.
Fergusson and the two witnesses are ready."

They were--Johnson and Alexander Armstrong--and the old chaplain who had
been Michael's father's tutor and was now an almost doddering old
nonentity also stood waiting in his white surplice at the altar rails.

The candles were all lit and great bunches of white lilies gave forth a
heavy scent. A strange sense of intoxication rose to Michael's brain.
When he returned to his sitting-room he found his bride-to-be arranging
her hat at the old mirror which had reflected her before.

"Won't you take it off?" he suggested--"and see, I have got you some
flowers----" and he brought her a great bunch of stephanotis which lay
waiting upon a table near.

"There is no orange-blossom--because that is for real weddings--but
won't you just put this bit of stephanotis in your hair?" and he broke
off a few blooms.

She was delighted, she loved dressing up, and she fixed it most
becomingly with dexterous fingers above her left ear.

"You do look sweet," he told her. "Now we must come----" and he gave her
his arm. She took it with that grave look of a child acting in a very
serious grown-u