g with
its sightless shuttered windows the surrounding foliage and slopes.
Grace was tired, and they approached the wall, and sat together on one
of the stone sills--still warm with the sun that had been pouring its
rays upon them all the afternoon.

"This place would just do for us, would it not, dearest," said her
betrothed, as they sat, turning and looking idly at the old facade.

"Oh yes," said Grace, plainly showing that no such fancy had ever
crossed her mind. "She is away from home still," Grace added in a
minute, rather sadly, for she could not forget that she had somehow
lost the valuable friendship of the lady of this bower.

"Who is?--oh, you mean Mrs. Charmond. Do you know, dear, that at one
time I thought you lived here."

"Indeed!" said Grace. "How was that?"

He explained, as far as he could do so without mentioning his
disappointment at finding it was otherwise; and then went on: "Well,
never mind that. Now I want to ask you something. There is one detail
of our wedding which I am sure you will leave to me. My inclination is
not to be married at the horrid little church here, with all the yokels
staring round at us, and a droning parson reading."

"Where, then, can it be? At a church in town?"

"No. Not at a church at all. At a registry office. It is a quieter,
snugger, and more convenient place in every way."

"Oh," said she, with real distress. "How can I be married except at
church, and with all my dear friends round me?"

"Yeoman Winterborne among them."

"Yes--why not? You know there was nothing serious between him and me."

"You see, dear, a noisy bell-ringing marriage at church has this
objection in our case: it would be a thing of report a long way round.
Now I would gently, as gently as possible, indicate to you how
inadvisable such publicity would be if we leave Hintock, and I purchase
the practice that I contemplate purchasing at Budmouth--hardly more
than twenty miles off. Forgive my saying that it will be far better if
nobody there knows where you come from, nor anything about your
parents. Your beauty and knowledge and manners will carry you anywhere
if you are not hampered by such retrospective criticism."

"But could it not be a quiet ceremony, even at church?" she pleaded.

"I don't see the necessity of going there!" he said, a trifle
impatiently. "Marriage is a civil contract, and the shorter and
simpler it is made the better. People don't go to church when