oing to bed.

"Olive, my darling, what is the matter? Are you ill?" he asked tenderly.

She tried to speak, but could not; then she moved towards him, and threw
herself into his arms, while John Castlemaine held her, as he had held
her years before, when she was a baby.

* * * * *

The next morning Radford Leicester woke early. Contrary to his
expectations, no sooner had he placed his head on the pillow the night
before than he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. After the excitement
of the evening, nature demanded rest, and so she wrapped her kindly arms
around him, as if she desired to be specially kind to him just then.
When he awoke he could not for a time realise where he was; but the
truth soon came to him. He remembered, too, that it was the morning of
his wedding-day. His heart gave a leap as the thought came into his
mind, and then to stay in bed any longer was an impossibility. He
dressed with great care, now and then looking out of the window, and
noting with satisfaction the blue of the skies and the sweetness of the
air.

"Only a little while longer," he said again and again to himself. "I
wonder how she will look as she walks up the church aisle on her
father's arm?"

The wedding arrangements had been discussed several days before, and
everything was settled in due order. When Leicester had been asked whom
he wished to invite to the wedding, he did not mention a single name.

"No one at all?" John Castlemaine had said.

"No one," replied Leicester. "I have no real friend on earth, neither
man nor woman. Yes, I have a lot of acquaintances, but I do not wish
them to come to my wedding. My father died five years ago. I can
scarcely remember my mother. As for all the rest of the world--no, I do
not wish to invite any one."

"But you must so far conform to convention as to have a best man."

"Must I? Very well, now let me think. Yes, Winfield will do. He's about
the best chap I know."

He had barely mentioned his name, however, when he would gladly have
recalled it. Like lightning the fact flashed into his mind that on the
night of the wager it was Winfield who had suggested the name of Olive
Castlemaine.

"That's all right," said Mr. Castlemaine. "He's just the fellow. So you
will invite no one else?"

"I would rather not invite _him_," said Leicester.

"But you must, Leicester. I must positively insist on that. For my own
part, I think I should have liked you to