k---- Ay,
now I look at your face again, ye remind of the lass. Your eyes and hair
are as black as hers, and ye have the same kind of face, too. It might
be that she was your mother."

"Think for a moment that she is my mother," said Paul. "Let me see the
writing in the book."

The woman went to the bookcase by her side and took down an
encyclopaedia, and there, on the flyleaf, he saw the names, "Douglas
Graham, Jean Graham, August 29th, 18--."

"And they left the next day, didn't they?" asked Paul.

"Ay, they left the next day, and they looked as though they were going to
a funeral, both of them. I wondered if they had quarrelled or something,
but they seemed so loving that that seemed impossible. But I've thought
of them many a time since."

"Let me see," said Paul. "This is on the English side of the border,
isn't it?"

"Ay," replied the woman. "It is the English side."

On leaving the next day Paul made his way to the nearest town of
importance on the Scotch side, and was soon closeted with a lawyer.

"I am come to ask for information," said Paul.

The Scotsman looked at him keenly, and wondered how much he could charge
him.

"Maybe you are in trouble?" he said.

"No," replied Paul; "I'm not in trouble. I only want information
concerning a matter of Scotch law."

"And there's no man north of the Tweed that knows more about Scotch law."
And the old lawyer stroked his chin thoughtfully. "But what phase of
Scotch law are ye interested in?"

"Scotch marriage."

"Maybe you're thinking of getting wed? If ye are, take the advice of a
man who has had to do with hundreds of weddings, and don't! If there's
one thing for which I'm thankful to Providence, it is that I've always
been strong enough to resist the lasses. Trouble came with the coming of
a woman into the world, and they have been at the heart of nine-tenths of
it ever since."

"No doubt your advice may be very wise," said Paul, "but it's not of that
I'm thinking now. The question with me is what makes a Scotch marriage?"

"Nay, nay, man, don't try and sail as near to the rocks as ye can. If ye
are going to wed, have the matter done publicly and openly."

"I'm not going to wed," said Paul. "But this is what I want to know:
what is a Scotch marriage?"

"For the life of me, I can't tell you," he replied. "But ye have some
case in your mind, I see. Tell it."

"Well, supposing a man and woman took each other as husband and wife