eep it well,
you must find a place for his also." It was thus that Mary Lawrie
suffered the spooning that was inflicted upon her by John Gordon.

* * * * * *

The most important part of our narrative still remains. When the day
came, the Reverend Montagu Blake was duly married to Miss Catherine
Forrester in Winchester Cathedral, by the Very Reverend the Dean,
assisted by the young lady's father; and it is pleasant to think that
on that occasion the two clergymen behaved to each other with extreme
civility. Mr Blake at once took his wife over to the Isle of Wight,
and came back at the end of a month to enjoy the hospitality of Mr
Hall. And with them came that lady's maid, of whose promotion to
a higher sphere in life we shall expect soon to hear. Then came a
period of thorough enjoyment for Mr Blake in superintending the work
of Mr Newface.

"What a pity it is that the house should ever be finished!" said
the bride to Augusta Hall; "because as things are now, Montagu is
supremely happy: he will never be so happy again."

"Unless when the baby comes," said Augusta.

"I don't think he'll care a bit about the baby," said the bride.

The writer, however, is of a different opinion, as he is inclined
to think that the Reverend Montagu Blake will be a pattern for all
fathers. One word more we must add of Mr Whittlestaff and his future
life,--and one word of Mrs Baggett. Mr Whittlestaff did not leave
Croker's Hall. When October had come round, he was present at Mary's
marriage, and certainly did not carry himself then with any show
of outward joy. He was moody and silent, and, as some said, almost
uncourteous to John Gordon. But before Mary went down to the train,
in preparation of her long wedding-tour, he took her up to his
bedroom, and there said a final word to her. "Give him my love."

"Oh, my darling! you have made me so happy."

"You will find me better when you come back, though I shall never
cease to regret all that I have lost."

Mrs Baggett accepted her destiny, and remained in supreme dominion
over all women-kind at Croker's Hall. But there was private pecuniary
arrangement between her and her master, of which I could never learn
the details. It resulted, however, in the sending of a money-order
every Saturday morning to an old woman in whose custody the Sergeant
was left.

* * * * * *

Transcriber's notes:

Obvious typograph