By Berwen Banks

It had been decided the night before that Gwynne Ellis should leave the

house alone at his usual early hour, and that his friends should come

by the high road from Abersethin, and down by the river-path to the

church. They were not to stand outside, but to enter the church at

once, to avoid any possible observation; but in spite of this prior

arrangement Cardo wondered why no one appeared.

"Can Gwynne Ellis be late? or those confounded fellows from Abersethin

have forgotten all about it, probably? It's the way of the world!"

As he crossed the stepping-stones to the church he felt sure there

would be no wedding, and that he would have to depart at midday still a

bachelor, leaving Valmai to all sorts of dangers and trials!

When he entered the porch, however, and pushed open the door of the

church, in the cool green light inside, he found his three friends

waiting for him.

"I wonder why she doesn't come," he said, turning back to look up the

winding path through the wood; "it's quite time."

"Yes, it is quite time," said Ellis. "I will go and put on my

surplice. You three can sit in that ricketty front pew, or range

yourselves at the altar rail, in fact--there she is coming down the

path, you won't be kept long in suspense."

And as the three young men stood waiting with their eyes fixed upon the

doorway, Valmai appeared, looking very pale and nervous. Gwynne Ellis

had already walked up the church, and was standing inside the broken

altar rails. Valmai had never felt so lonely and deserted. Alone

amongst these strangers, father! mother! old friends all crowded into

her mind; but the memory of them only seemed to accentuate their

absence at this important time of her life! She almost failed as she

walked up with faltering step, but a glance at Cardo's sympathetic,

beaming face restored her courage, and as she took her place by his

side she regained her composure. Before the simple, impressive service

was over she was quite herself again, and when Cardo took her hand in

his in a warm clasp, she returned the pressure with a loving smile of

confidence and trust, and received the congratulations of Gwynne Ellis

and his two friends with a smiling though blushing face.

The two strangers, never having seen her before, were much struck by

her beauty; and indeed she had never looked more lovely. She wore one

of her simple white frocks, and the white hat which had been her best

during the summer, adorned only with a wreath of freshly gathered

jessamine, a bunch of which was also fastened at her neck. With the

addition of a pair of white gloves which Cardo had procured for her,

she looked every inch a bride. She wore no ornament save the wedding

ring which now glistened on her finger.