rness. In one moment more they would be
man and wife; no distance or grief could change that.

When they knelt together for the first time as man and wife, and
listened to the words of the beautiful prayer that they might "ever
remain in perfect love and peace together," Margaret's happiness made
her prayer a song of praise. If it was ordained that Michael was to be
spared to her, how simple and natural a thing it would be for ever to
remain in perfect love and peace together! Loving each other as they
did, that would not be one of their difficulties. It was so restful to
kneel side by side with Michael, listening to the gentle and solemn
words, that she would have liked the prayer to go on for a long time.
Her nervous condition made her apprehensive. Here, in the quiet
church, which lay right in the heart-beat of the city, there was a
divine sense of security.

Their heads were bent together; their arms were almost touching; their
heart-beats were in unison; their minds were one.

But the prayer was finished. Michael's hand had clasped hers again; he
was far more conscious of his part in the ceremony than she was of
hers. He held her hand as if it was his world, the kingdom he had come
into, while his eyes expressed his emotion and gratitude.

As the words "Those whom God hath joined together let no man put
asunder," and "I pronounce you man and wife," echoed through the
chancel, Michael Ireton and Hadassah gave a pent-up sigh of relief.

When the clergyman turned to the altar and read aloud the sixty-seventh
Psalm--Michael had requested it in preference to the hundred and
twenty-eighth, which is perhaps the more usual--Hadassah saw the bride
and bridegroom smile happily to each other. They smiled, because
Michael had often read the Psalm to Margaret and remarked on its
similarity to the prayers of Akhnaton.

"God be merciful unto us, and bless us: and show us the light of His
countenance, and be merciful unto us;

"That Thy way may be known upon earth: Thy saving health among all
nations.

"Let the people praise Thee, O God: yea, let all the people praise Thee.

"O let the nations rejoice and be glad: for Thou shalt judge the folk
righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.

"Let the people praise Thee, O God: yea, let all the people praise
Thee."

"Thou shalt govern the nations upon earth." That had been Akhnaton's
mission, to preach these words, to tell the people that God, and man's
u