girls walked up to the store together.

'Duke Radford was sitting in the sunshine, looking dreamily out
over the river, which at this time of the year was at its widest
and highest. He rose with a pleased exclamation when Mary came
into view, and took off his hat with a courtly air.

"I remember you quite well, and your coming always used to make me
happy, but I have forgotten your name," he said, apologetically.

"Call me Mary; it is easy to remember," she answered in a gentle
tone. Then she stayed in the sunshine talking to him, until Mrs.
Burton and the twins rushed out to carry her off by force.

It was Miles who rowed Mary over the river, for a fit of shyness
came upon Katherine, and she was not visible to many people except
her own family for the remainder of that day. Jervis came over in
the evening, and there was a troubled look on his face which
Katherine noticed at once.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, a chill of fear creeping into her
heart lest even at this eleventh hour something was coming to stand
between her and her happiness.

"I have only had a few more cares and responsibilities dumped upon
me than I had bargained for," he answered. "Do you feel equal to
helping me to bear them?"

"Of course," she answered brightly.

"Did they tell you about Mr. Clay's arrival?" he asked, holding her
hands, and looking down into her face with an expression she could
by no means fathom.

"Yes; Mary told me about him. She said he was a horrid little man.
Is it true?" Katherine asked, smiling at the remembrance of Mary's
energetic utterances.

"I think he means to be very kind," Jervis answered; "but the
journey has got on his nerves rather. However, I helped him to a
hot bath, and now he has gone to bed in a happier frame of mind;
and he wants to be best man to-morrow, so I have squared matters
with Miles. Do you mind?"

"Of course not," she answered brightly, thrusting back the feeling
of not wanting any more strangers to intrude themselves into that
holy of holies which was to take place to-morrow.

"Mr. Clay is the----I mean, he is a friend of the family, and he
has been good to my mother," Jervis went on, a curious air of
constraint showing itself in him, which might have been due to
nervousness, although he was not wont to be troubled in that
fashion. "Cousin Samuel died in February, and affairs have been at
sixes and sevens since, wanting my presence in England."

"You will have to go,