piest day of Myra's life?"

"No, aunt," said Edie shortly; "do you?"

Miss Jerrold shrugged her shoulders.

"Go and keep near her, my dear, till they leave. I haven't the heart.
Edie, am I a wretchedly prejudiced old maid, or is there something not
nice about that man?"

"Ah, there you are, Edie," cried the admiral excitedly. "Myra is just
going to cut the cake. Mr Guest, take my sister and give her some
champagne. Edie, my dear, I don't like poor Myra's looks. I must see
to the people, and have a word with James Barron before they start; and
I've got to speak, too, and how to get through it I don't know."

"What do you want me to do, uncle?"

"What I told you, my dear," cried the old man testily. "Go and keep
with my poor darling till the last."

Edie crept to her cousin's side and stayed there during the admiral's
speech, one which contained more heart than head; listened with heaving
breast to the toast of the bride's health, and to the well-spoken, manly
reply made by James Barron. And so on till the time when the bride
might slip away to change her dress for the journey down to Southampton,
the wedding trip commencing the next day on board the great steamer
outward bound for the West.

"Guest, my lad," said the admiral, drawing the young man aside,
"servants are all very well, but I'd be thankful if you'd see yourself
that Mr Barron's carriage is up to the door in time. Myra is not well,
and she has sent a message to me to beg that she may be allowed to slip
away quietly with few good-byes. I suppose the people will have all the
satin slipper and rice throwing tomfoolery."

"You may depend upon me, Sir Mark," said Guest eagerly; and he set about
his task at once, greatly to the butler's disgust.

The minutes went swiftly then; the guests gathering on the staircase and
crowding the hall, while the carriage, with its servants, stood waiting,
with an avenue of people down to the door.

Guest was on the step seeing that the wraps and various little articles
needed on the journey were handed in. Barron, looking flushed and
proud, was in the hall, with his hand grasped by Sir Mark, and a murmur
of excitement and a cheer announced that the bride was coming down, when
the bridegroom's carriage began to move on.

The sudden starting of the horses made Guest turn sharply.

"Hi! Stop! Do you hear?" he shouted, and several of the servants
waiting outside took up the cry, "Coming down." But the carri