oo, as
Marion's mysterious deliverer.

They held counsel together after leaving the room, and, seeing
O'Halloran's fancy for me, they thought I might often come again. They
saw, too, that I had noticed their agitation, but had not recognized
Marion. They judged that I would suspect them, and so Nora volunteered
to personate the lady so as to save Marion from that outburst of
indignation which was sure to fall on her if her father knew of her
disobedience. This, then, was the cause of Nora's assumption of a false
part. She had told some plausible story to O'Halloran which satisfied
him and saved Marion; but her peculiar frank and open nature made her
incapable of maintaining her part, and also led to my absurd proposal
to her, and its consequences.

Meanwhile Marion had her troubles. She had not seen Jack, but on her
return got his frantic letter, proposing an elopement, and threatening
to blow his brains out. She answered this as we have seen. After this,
she heard all about Jack's love-affairs, and wrote to him on the
subject. He answered by another proposal to elope, and reproached her
with being the cause of his ruin. This reproach stung her, and filled
her with remorse. It was not so much love as the desperation of
self-reproach which had led to her foolish consent. So at the appointed
time she was at the place; but instead of Jack--there was quite another
person.

Of course, I did not get all the above from her at that time. Some of
it she told; but the rest came out long afterward. Long afterward I
learned from her own dear lips how her feelings changed toward me,
especially on that night when I saved her and brought her home. Jack
became first an object of contempt, then of indifference. Then she
feared that I would despise her, and tried to hold aloof. Despise her!
----!!!!

All this, and a thousand other things, came out afterward, in the days
of our closer association, when all was explained, and Marion had no
more secrets to keep from me, and I had none from her.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

GRAND CONCLUSION.--WEDDING-RINGS AND BALL-RINGS.--ST. MALACHI'S.--OLD
FLETCHER IN HIS GLORY.--NO HUMBUG THIS TIME.--MESSAGES SENT
EVERYWHERE.--ALL THE TOWN AGOG.--QUEBEC ON THE RAMPAGE.--ST. MALACHI'S
CRAMMED.--GALLERIES CROWDED.--WHITE FAVORS EVERYWHERE.--THE WIDOW HAPPY
WITH THE CHAPLAIN.--THE DOUBLE WEDDING.--FIRST COUPLE--JACK AND LOUIE!
--SECOND DITTO--MACRORIE AND MARION!--COLONEL BERTON AND O'HALLORAN
GIVING