ould happen in England, sir, never."

"Which is perfectly true; worse luck for England," Father Antoine might
have replied; but did not. A few of the younger men and maidens ran for
a short distance by the side of the diligence, and threw flowers into
the windows.

"Thou wilt return! thou wilt return!" they cried. "Say thou wilt
return!"

"Yes, God willing, I will return," answered Hetty, bending to the right
and to the left, taking loving farewell looks of them all. "We will
surely return." And as the last face disappeared from sight, and the
last merry voice died away, she turned to her husband, and, laying her
hand in his, said, "Why not, Eben? Will not that be our best home,
our best happiness, to come back and live and die among these simple
people?"

"Yes," answered Dr. Eben, "it will. Tantibba, we will come back."

* * * * *

And now is told all that I have to tell of the Strange History of Eben
and Hetty Williams. If there be any who find the history incredible, I
have for such a few words more.

First: I myself have seen, in the old graveyard at Welbury, the
"beautiful and high monument of marble," of which Father Antoine spoke
to Dr. Macgowan. It bears the following inscription:

"SACRED TO THE MEMORY
OF
HENRIETTA GUNN,
BELOVED WIFE OF DR. EBENEZER WILLIAMS,
Who was drowned in Welbury Lake."

The dates, which I have my own reasons for not giving, come below; and
also a verse of the Bible, which I will not quote.

Second: I myself was in Welbury when there was brought to the town
by some traveller a copy of a Canadian newspaper, in which, among the
marriages, appeared this one:

"In the parish of St. Mary's, Canada, W., by Rev.
Antoine Ladeau, Mrs. Hibba Smailli to Dr. Ebenezer
Williams."

The condition of Welbury, when this piece of news was fairly in
circulation in the town, could be compared to nothing but the buzz of a
beehive at swarming time. A letter which was received by the Littles,
a few days later, from Dr. Williams himself, did not at first allay the
buzzing. He wrote, simply: "You will be much surprised at the slip which
I enclose" (it was the newspaper announcement of his marriage). "You can
hardly be more surprised than I am myself; but the lady is one whom I
knew and loved a great many years ago. We are going abroad, and shall
probably remain there for some years. When I s