l say:" he read,
and looked up inquiry, his faintly-colored, prominent eyes endeavoring
to sustain Mr. Caryll's steady glance, but failing miserably.

"'Tis farther back," Mr. Caryll informed him in answer to that mute
question; and as the fellow moistened his thumb to turn back the pages,
Mr. Caryll saved him the trouble. "It says, I think, that the man
should be on your right hand and the woman on your left. Ye seem to have
reversed matters, Mr. Jenkins. But perhaps ye're left-handed."

"Stab me!" was Mr. Jenkins' most uncanonical comment. "I vow I am
over-flustered. Your lordship is so impatient with me. This gentleman is
right. But that I was so flustered. Will you not change places with his
lordship, ma'am?"

They changed places, after the viscount had thanked Mr. Caryll shortly
and cursed the parson with circumstance and fervor. It was well done on
his lordship's part, but the lady did not seem convinced by it. Her face
looked whiter, and her eyes had an alarmed, half-suspicious expression.

"We must begin again," said Mr. Jenkins. And he began again.

Mr. Caryll listened and watched, and he began to enjoy himself
exceedingly. He had not reckoned upon so rich an entertainment when he
had consented to come down to witness this odd ceremony. His sense of
humor conquered every other consideration, and the circumstance that
Lord Rotherby was his brother, if remembered at all, served but to add a
spice to the situation.

Out of sheer deviltry he waited until Mr. Jenkins had labored for a
second time through the opening periods. Again he allowed him to get
as far as "I charge and require you both-," before again he interrupted
him.

"There is something else ye've forgot," said he in that sweet, quiet
voice of his.

This was too much for Rotherby. "Damn you!" he swore, turning a livid
face upon Mr. Caryll, and failed to observe that at the sound of that
harsh oath and at the sight of his furious face, the lady recoiled from
him, the suspicion lately in her face turning first to conviction and
then to absolute horror.

"I do not think you are civil," said Mr. Caryll critically. "It was in
your interests that I spoke."

"Then I'll thank you, in my interests, to hold your tongue!" his
lordship stormed.

"In that case," said Mr. Caryll, "I must still speak in the interests
of the lady. Since you've desired me to be a witness, I'll do my duty by
you both and see you properly wed."

"Now, what the devil may you