nd Uncle Ephraim's,
where they found the deacon mending a bit of broken fence, his coat
lying on a pile of stones, and his wide, blue cotton trousers hanging
loosely around him. When told who Mark was and that he brought news of
Katy, he greeted him cordially, and sitting down upon his fence listened
to all Mark had to say. Between the old and young man there seemed at
once a mutual liking, the former saying to himself as Mark went on, and
he resumed his work:

"I most wish it was this chap with Katy on the sea. I like his looks the
best," while Mark's thoughts were:

"Will need not be ashamed of that man, though I don't suppose I should
really want him coming suddenly in among a drawing-room full of guests."

Morris did not feel much like entertaining Mark, but Mark was fully
competent to entertain himself, and thought the hour spent at Linwood a
very pleasant one, half wishing for some excuse to tarry longer; but
there was none, and so at the appointed time he bade Morris good-by and
went on his way to New York.

CHAPTER XII.

FIRST MONTH OF MARRIED LIFE.

If Katy's letters, written, one on board the steamer and another from
London, were to be trusted, she was as nearly perfectly happy as a young
bride well can be, and the people at the farmhouse felt themselves more
and more kindly disposed toward Wilford Cameron with each letter
received. They were going soon into the northern part of England, and
from thence into Scotland, Katy wrote from London, and two weeks after
found them comfortably settled at the inn at Alnwick, near to Alnwick
Castle. Wilford had seemed very anxious to get there, leaving London
before Katy was quite ready to leave, and hurrying across the country
until Alnwick was reached. He had been there before, years ago, he said,
but no one seemed to recognize him, though all paid due respect to the
distinguished-looking American and his beautiful young wife. An entrance
into Alnwick Castle was easily obtained, and Katy felt that all her
girlish dreams of grandeur and magnificence were more than realized
here in this home of the Percys, where ancient and modern styles of
architecture and furnishing were so blended together. She would never
tire of that place, she thought, but Wilford's taste led him elsewhere,
and he took more delight, it would appear, in wandering around St.
Mary's Church, which stood upon a hill commanding a view of the castle
and of the surrounding country for miles a