the town
soon after."

The Judge then turned to Grace, and said, with considerable feeling,
"It would be unkind to disguise the truth from you. You must petition
Parliament to sanction this marriage by a distinct enactment; it is
the invariable course, and Parliament has never refused to make these
marriages binding. Until then, pray understand that you are Miss Carden,
and not Mrs. Coventry."

The witness clasped her hands above her bead, uttered a loud scream of
joy, and was removed all but insensible from the box.

The Judge looked amazed. The Sheriff whispered, "Her husband is a
greater scoundrel than this prisoner."

Soon after this the Judge withdrew to luncheon, and took the Sheriff
along with him. "Mr. Sheriff," said he, "you said something to me in
court I hardly understood."

Then Raby gave the Judge a brief outline of the whole story, and, in a
voice full of emotion, asked his advice.

The Judge smiled at this bit of simplicity; but his heart had been
touched, and he had taken a fancy to Raby. "Mr. Sheriff," said he,
"etiquette forbids me to advise you--"

"I am sorry for that, my lord."

"But humanity suggests--Tell me, now, does this Coventry hold to her?
Will he petition Parliament?"

"It is very possible, my lord."

"Humph! Get a special license, and marry Grace Carden to Henry Little,
and have the marriage consummated. Don't lose a day, nor an hour. I will
not detain you, Mr. Sheriff."

Raby took the hint, and soon found Henry, and told him the advice he had
got. He set him to work to get the license, and, being resolved to stand
no nonsense, he drove to Grace, and invited her to Raby Hall. "I am to
be married this week," said he, "and you must be at the wedding."

Grace thought he would be hurt if she refused, so she colored a little,
but consented.

She packed up, with many a deep sigh, things fit for a wedding, and Raby
drove her home. He saw her to her room, and then had a conversation with
Mrs. Little, the result of which was that Henry's mother received her
with well-feigned cordiality.

Next day Henry came to dinner, and, after dinner, the lovers were left
alone. This, too, had been arranged beforehand.

Henry told her he was going to ask her a great favor; would she consider
all they had suffered, and, laying aside childish delays, be married to
him in the old church to-morrow, along with Mr. Raby and Jael Dence?

Oh, then she trembled, and blushed, and hesitated; and faltere