she lay down to rest with a smile on her beautiful
face. The happiest day must end when night falls.

CHAPTER VI.

When evening fell the next day, Betty lingered long at the gate.

"He could not get his business done in time," she said to herself. "He
will not come to-day."

But the next day passed also, and the next, and still John Johnstone had
not come home.

On the fourth day Mr. Ives rode into Wancote to hear the news, and
promised his daughter that he would go over to Belton, and find out from
the servants whether they had had any news of their master, and when
they expected him to return.

Mary Jones came over to the parsonage--it was an important day, for
Betty was to try on her wedding-gown, finished the night before.

She looked very beautiful in it, the soft colour flushing on her cheek,
her sweet eyes shining. When the little ceremony was over, Betty put her
arm round the waist of her friend, and led her away out of earshot of
busy Dame Martha, and the smart dressmakers.

"Dear Mary!" she said, "my great wish now is to see you don just such a
dress as this wedding-gown of mine."

"Oh la! Betty, bethink you of my age," cried Mary, but tears of genuine
emotion rose to her eyes.

"Yet would I fain see you my father's wife," said Betty. She put her
hands on her shoulders, and looked down from her greater height into her
face.

"Say yes, Mary, say yes," she said.

"I must wait till the right person asks me that question," answered
Mary, half sobbing, half laughing; but Betty persisted:

"Say yes, Mary dear!"

"Well then yes, if so it must be," answered Mary. "You are a good girl,
Betty," and she kissed her warmly, and hurried away to the glass to
rearrange her elaborate curls of hair.

Mr. Ives came home full of excitement: he had heard great news in
Wancote, the whole town was ringing with it.

"What do you think has happened?" he cried as he came into the room.

"Has John come home?" asked Betty eagerly.

"No, child, and the servants say that they never expect him until he
appears, he is often away like this for a few days. The news is quite
otherwise--Wild Jack has been taken."

"Ah!" cried the women in a breath, and Betty turned white as a sheet.

"What will they do with him!" asked Mary.

"He was taken on the king's highway, some twenty miles from here on the
Newbury Road, on the cross roads where the steep way comes down from the
downs. It seems that an important paper had