y
married, we have a witness--Shoreham over there," he pointed towards the
Druid's cromlech where the young man was perched--"and it only concerns
us now--only you and me."

"Yet if anything happened to you during the next two months, Philip, and
you did not come back!"

"My dearest, dearest Guida," he answered, taking her hands in his,
and laughing boyishly, "in that case you will announce the marriage.
Shoreham and the clergyman are witnesses; besides, there's the
certificate which Mr. Dow will give you to-morrow; and, above all,
there's the formal record on the parish register. There, sweetest
interrogation mark in the world, there is the law and the gospel! Come,
come, let us be gay, let this be the happiest hour we've yet had in all
our lives."

"How can I be altogether gay, Philip, when we part now, and I shall not
see you for two whole long months?"

"Mayn't I come to you for just a minute to-morrow morning, before I go?"

"No, no, no, you must not, indeed you must not. Remember your promise,
remember that you are not to see me again until you come back from
Portsmouth. Even this is not quite what we agreed, for you are still
with me, and we've been married nearly half an hour!"

"Perhaps we were married a thousand years ago--I don't know," he
answered, drawing her to him. "It's all a magnificent dream so far."

"You must go, you must keep your word. Don't break the first promise you
ever made me, Philip."

She did not say it very reproachfully, for his look was ardent and
worshipful, and she could not be even a little austere in her new joy.

"I am going," he answered. "We will go back to the town, I by the road,
you by the shore, so no one will see us, and--"

"Philip," said Guida suddenly, "is it quite the same being married
without banns?"

His laugh had again a youthful ring of delight. "Of course, just the
same, my doubting fay," said he. "Don't be frightened about anything.
Now promise me that--will you promise me?"

She looked at him a moment steadily, her eyes lingering on his face with
great tenderness, and then she said:

"Yes, Philip, I will not trouble or question any longer. I will only
believe that everything is all right. Say good-bye to me, Philip. I
am happy now, but if--if you stay any longer--ah, please, please go,
Philip!"

A moment afterwards Philip and Shoreham were entering the high road,
waving their handkerchiefs to her as they went.

She had gone back to the Druid's