on for better or for worse--probably
worse, I tell her. What d'you think of that?"

"Good old step-ma!" cried Hyland, seizing hold of Evelyn, and bestowing
upon her cheeks a hearty kiss--Hyland was nothing if not boisterous. "I
say dad, though, I've got a bit of news for you--and very much of the
same sort. Edala's gone and got engaged to that fellow Elvesdon. What
d'you think of that?"

"Well, it doesn't come upon me as a wild surprise. When did they put up
that bargain?"

"Now. This afternoon; half an hour ago."

"That's odd, the coincidence I mean. So did we."

Hyland whistled.

"My hat!" he exclaimed, "but it's a rum world."

"--And very much given to match-making," supplied Thornhill
complacently.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

ENVOI.

The table was laid out in the cool shade of the fig-trees, but the birds
which loved to depredate in crowds in the garden at Sipazi had taken
themselves off to the further end of the same with that object, for it
was not quiet here; not by any means. A small, but very jovial party
was assembled, a party of six. And it was Christmas day.

The afternoon heat of the midsummer day shimmered without, but there was
no hot wind, wherefore here in the cool shade it was delightful. Nearly
a year had gone by since we first made acquaintance with the spot, and
the party here gathered; nearly half a year since we last saw the latter
brought safely through the times of peril and anxiety which that year
had brought forth. And upon the third finger of the left hand of two
members of that party was a plain ring of somewhat suspicious
brightness--which had not been there then.

"I say," cried Hyland, getting up to pop off another of the gold-headed
bottles which stood in a _vaatje_ of water. "We've drank all our own
healths and everybody else's. Now we ought to drink the health of this
jolly ghost party."

"Contradiction in terms, boy," said his father. "Who ever heard of a
`jolly' ghost?"

"Well, ain't we? We're all in white."

"Lucky we're not all in black," said Edala, half seriously.

"Hear--hear!" cried Prior.

"Appropriate colour for Christmas," put in Evelyn.

"And the heat," supplied Elvesdon.

"Who ever saw a ghost with a very red and skinned nose either?" observed
Edala, with a severe glance at her brother, whose face still bore traces
of the exposure of a hard campaign.

"Look here, Mrs Elvesdon, don't you make personal remarks," retorted
Hyland. "T