ne wedding" were begun. It was Frederik who tactfully broached the
theme. Kathrien, after a look of helpless fear, nodded acquiescence.

"I promised him," she said faintly. "And he died while the promise was
still scarcely spoken. The smile of happiness it brought to his dear old
face was on it when they laid him to sleep. I _couldn't_ break that
promise."

"And you wouldn't, if you could. I know that," said Frederik tenderly.
"Dear one, I would not urge the wedding at a time like this if it had
not been his last wish that we should be married this very month."

"Yes," she agreed lifelessly. "It was his wish. And we must do it."

And with this unenthusiastic assent Frederik was forced to be satisfied.
So the preparations were pushed on with a furtive, almost apologetic,
haste.

Mrs. Batholommey entered into the spirit of the affair with a lugubrious
zest that would have sickened Kathrien had it not taken so much of the
burden of arrangement-making off her own tired young shoulders.

It was to Frederik and Mrs. Batholommey that every one at length turned
for directions in details for the wedding, not to the still-faced girl
who seemed to know or to care nothing about the way matters were to be
conducted.

And this gave Kathrien surcease,--a breathing space wherein to try to
think with a brain from which sorrow had driven the power of clear
thought; a time to plan, to _realise_, to remember,--with faculties too
numb to carry out the will power's intent. The days crept past her like
shadows. And the wedding day drew near. But still she could not wholly
rouse herself from the dumb inertia that gripped her.

CHAPTER IX

THE EVE OF A WEDDING

Ten days later the household, which had been Peter Grimm's and was his
no longer, had sufficiently adjusted itself to new conditions to
endeavour to carry out his dearest wish--the marriage of Kathrien to
Frederik.

It was near the close of a rainy afternoon, and Mrs. Batholommey
(installed in the house as temporary chaperone and adviser to Kathrien)
was busily engaged in drilling four little girls from her own
Sunday-school class to sing the Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin.

Standing at the piano, and playing with a sure, determined touch, she
gazed over her shoulder at the children and sang vigorously, nodding her
head to emphasise the tempo:

"Faithful and true we lead ye forth
Where love triumphant shall lead the way.
Bright star of love, flower of the ear