ome faint idea that for the
first six months of his new married life the Cedars would be quite as
pleasant without his mother as with her; but a final reconciliation
would be more easy if he and his wife had the Mackenzies of Incharrow
to back them, than it could be without such influence. And as for the
London gossip of the thing, the finale to the romance of the Lion and
the Lamb, it would be sure to come sooner or later. Let them have
their odious joke and have done with it!

"Mother," he said, as soon as he could find himself alone with Lady
Ball that day, not waiting for the midnight conference; "mother, I
may as well tell you at once. I have proposed to Margaret Mackenzie
again to-day."

"Oh! very well."

"And she has accepted me."

"Accepted you! of course she has; jumped at the chance, no doubt.
What else should a pauper do?"

"Mother, that is ungenerous."

"She did not accept you when she had got anything."

"If I can reconcile myself to that, surely you can do so. The matter
is settled now, and I think I have done the best in my power for
myself and my children."

"And as for your mother, she may go and die anywhere."

"Mother, that is unfair. As long as I have a house over my head,
you shall share it, if you please to do so. If it suits you to go
elsewhere, I will be with you as often as may be possible. I hope,
however, you will not leave us."

"That I shall certainly do."

"Then I hope you will not go far from me."

"And when is it to be?" said his mother, after a pause.

"I cannot name any day; but some time before the 10th of August."

"Before the 10th of August! Why, that is at once. Oh! John; and your
father not dead a year!"

"Margaret has a home now with her cousins in Cavendish Square; but
she cannot stay there after they go to Scotland. It will be for her
welfare that she should be married from their house. And as for my
father's death, I know that you do not suspect me of disrespect to
his memory."

And in this way it was settled at the Cedars; and his mother's
question about the time drove him to the resolution which he himself
had not reached. When next he was in Cavendish Square he asked
Margaret whether she could be ready so soon, and she replied that she
would be ready on any day that he told her to be ready.

Thus it was settled, and with a moderate amount of nuptial
festivity the marriage feast was prepared in Mrs Mackenzie's house.
Margaret was surprised to find how