air when congratulated on the engagement. As for the
parents, they were naturally delighted at the prospect of so prosperous
a marriage for their dear girl, while old Mr Vanburgh shed tears of
happiness over the fulfilment of a cherished dream.

"She will be the making of the boy!" he declared. "He has always been a
good fellow, but too indifferent and lazy to make the most of his
abilities. Nan's energy, Nan's enthusiasm will be his salvation! This
is the best news I have heard for many a long, long year. It puts fresh
life into me in my old age."

Everybody seemed pleased and approving; and not the least welcome among
the many letters of congratulation was one from Ned Talbot, now some
months settled as steward of the Vanburgh property, and his earnest,
outspoken appreciation of his new employer.

When the subject of the marriage itself was broached, however, Mr
Rendell obstinately refused to hear of any date within a year.

"When she is twenty-one--not a moment before," he said firmly. "I have
a parent's right to my Mops until she is of age, and not one day of the
time will I give up for you or any man living."

"And I've a husband's right to her after that, and not one day longer
will I wait, so we'll fix on her birthday, the twentieth of May!" said
Gervase, equally obstinate; and so it was settled. And the months had
seemed as weeks, so rapidly had they flown past, until here was the day
before the wedding, with Nan's new boxes standing in the corner ready
packed for that wonderful journey to foreign lands of which she had
dreamed all her life long.

When the gong sounded, Nan looked guiltily at the blank sheet of paper;
but it was too late to begin letters now--she must go downstairs, and
trust to good fortune that the girls would not discover how she had
wasted the time! Lunch was a scramble meal to-day, served in the
morning-room on three different tables, and in the midst of a medley of
boxes and parcels; but that was part of the fun of the occasion, and
added to the general hilarity. A formal meal in the dining-room could
be had any day, but it needed a convulsion of Nature to induce Mrs
Rendell to hold her plate in her lap, and actually--oh, horrors! to help
herself to butter with her own individual knife! The girls chuckled
with delight at the spectacle, and then turned to greet Nan on her
reappearance.

"Well, `Bride,' finished your notes? Hope you have been a good little
honest girl, an