e her vaguely uncomfortable, coming between her and the mellow
utterances of the bishop in his opening address. But she forgot
Mr. Clay and his searching looks after a time, and was sensible
only of the love which wrapped her round when Miles, at a sign from
the bishop, took Katherine's hand, and, placing it in that of his
father, whispered to him to give it to Jervis.

'Duke Radford, standing erect, his fine figure head and shoulders
taller than those around him, except the bridegroom, smiled round
on the assembly, stood holding Katherine's ungloved hand, softly
stroking and patting it, until Jervis reached forward to take it,
when he relinquished it with a smile and a nod, quite satisfied to
have it so.

The register was signed in the kitchen, and it was there that the
revelation took place which came as a thunderclap of surprise to
everyone concerned, except Jervis and Mr. Clay, the latter of whom,
when the bishop's part of the ceremony was done, took the remainder
upon himself, and proceeded to make his explanations in a voice
which Mary declared made her think of musty parchments and red tape.

He addressed himself to Katherine, bowing so profoundly that it was
wonderful he was able to return to a perpendicular position without
catching hold of something with which to pull himself up. "I have
to congratulate you on becoming the Countess of Compton, and I am
quite certain the title was never worn by one more worthy to adorn
it."

Katherine shrank a step nearer to her husband, and there was a look
of positive fear in her eyes, for privately she thought Mr. Clay
must be mad. "I do not understand you," she said gently, and the
silence in the kitchen was so profound, as they waited for Mr.
Clay's reply, that the buzz of talk which had broken out in the
crowded store seemed tremendously loud by contrast.

Mr. Clay cleared his throat with a dry little cough, intended to
emphasize the importance of the remarks which he had to make, then
he said: "Lord Compton insisted last night that no word should be
spoken concerning his accession to the title until after the
ceremony of to-day; but now it must be known, and I have to inform
you that your husband has been seventh Earl of Compton since the
18th of February last, only it seems he did not know of his
cousin's death until yesterday, when I arrived with papers for him
to sign."

Katherine became very pale, and turned with a quick movement to
Jervis, who stood look