rs. Halifax.

"Come away, Phineas!" slightly sighing, as if her joy weighed her down,
or as if conscious that she was letting fancy carry her too far into
the unknown future. "His room is quite ready now, whatever time the
boy arrives. Come away."

She shut and locked the door. To be opened--when?

Morning broke, and none could have desired a brighter marriage-morning.
Sunshine out of doors--sunshine on all the faces within; only family
faces,--for no other guests had been invited, and we had kept the day
as secret as we could; there was nothing John disliked more than a
show-wedding. Therefore it was with some surprise that while they were
all up-stairs adorning themselves for church, Maud and I, standing at
the hall-door, saw Lord Ravenel's travelling carriage drive up to it,
and Lord Ravenel himself, with a quicker and more decided gesture than
was natural to him, spring out.

Maud ran into the porch; startling him much, apparently; for indeed she
was a sweet vision of youth, happiness, and grace, in her pretty
bridesmaid's dress.

"Is this the wedding-morning? I did not know--I will come again
to-morrow;" and he seemed eager to escape back to his carriage.

This action relieved me from a vague apprehension of ill tidings, and
made less painful the first question which rose to my lips, "Had he
seen Guy?"

"No."

"We thought for the moment it might be Guy come home," Maud cried. "We
are expecting him. Have you heard of him since we saw you? Is he
quite well?"

"I believe so."

I thought the answer brief; but then he was looking intently upon Guy's
sister, who held his hands in her childish, affectionate way; she had
not yet relinquished her privilege of being Lord Ravenel's "pet."
When, hesitatingly, he proposed returning to Luxmore, unwilling to
intrude upon the marriage, the little lady would not hear of it for a
moment. She took the unexpected guest to the study, left him there
with her father, explained to her mother all about his arrival and his
having missed seeing Guy--appearing entirely delighted.

I came into the drawing-room, and sat watching the sun shining on
marriage-garments and marriage-faces, all as bright as bright could
be,--including the mother's. It had clouded over for a few moments
when the postman's ring was heard; but she said at once that it was
most unlikely Guy would write--she had told him there was no need to
write. So she stood content, smoothing down the soft fol