ng and going, and
whose eyes had the frightened look of a trapped wild creature.

"I was sure there must be some story of greatness behind, when it
became necessary for a family lawyer to take such a journey as
this," Mary Selincourt said, with an easy laugh, doing her best to
second the bishop's efforts to draw off attention from Katherine
for a time. "And now, don't you think we might as well start
feeding the multitude, Nellie? or they will not be in a proper
frame of mind to appreciate the bishop's sermon presently."

The diversion was effectual; everyone poured outside to where
tables were spread under the trees by the river. Tea, coffee,
cakes, and lemonade became the concern of the moment. And in the
kitchen the two who had been made husband and wife were left alone.

"Am I forgiven, your ladyship?" Jervis asked; but there was a note
of anxiety in his bantering tone, for Katherine's head was averted,
and held at an angle which made him apprehensive.

"Jervis, why did you not tell me while there was time to draw back?
For I--I am not fit to be a great lady!" she burst out passionately.

"I did not tell you because I was so horribly afraid you would want
to draw back," he admitted candidly, "and I wanted you so badly
that I could not afford to take the risk. You are quite as fit to
be a great lady as I am to be a great gentleman; that goes without
saying."

"But think of the work I have had to do?" she faltered, shrinking
and shivering at the prospect before her.

"Work is no degradation," he answered hastily, "or my days in the
Nantucket whaler might easily rise up in judgment against me; for I
am certain there can be no more filthy or disgusting work on the
face of the earth than I did then. Perhaps it is better for us
that we have had to toil so hard; we shall be better able to
sympathize with other workers, and to help them."

"I shall not know how to manage a houseful of servants," she said,
with such a comical air of distress that he had to laugh again.

"You need not have more servants than you like, and if you can't
manage them, why, we must pay someone to manage them for us," he
said gaily. Then his voice grew graver as he asked: "When are you
going to tell me that I am forgiven, Katherine?"

Something in the look on his face reminded her of the day when she
had risked her life to save him from the flood, and the memory
broke down the rampart of offended pride which had sprung up in her