ring glittered upon Flora's finger; and six months later,
amid a small company of friends, they uttered their marriage vows in
the old church at Elmwood; and by many they were called with truth a
beautiful and noble looking couple; and immediately after their marriage
they set out for their new home in one of the large cities of the
Western Provinces, where Charley was to begin the practice of his
profession. They left us under seeming summer sky, and I breathed a
prayer, that no cloud might arise to mar its serenity.

CHAPTER XXX.

About a year after Flora's marriage I received a letter from Aunt
Lucinda with a pressing invitation that we should go at once to Fulton;
she wished me also to write, requesting my mother to join us at Montreal
and accompany us. This letter surprised me not a little, but I was well
aware that Aunt Lucinda must have some particular reason for this sudden
and unexpected invitation; and I at once wrote to my mother, informing
her of her request, and two days later she arrived at my home in
Montreal. We enjoyed a pleasant journey, and again my eyes rested with
delight upon the familiar scenes of the village of Fulton. Uncle Nathan
met us at the railway station, looking as hale and hearty as ever. On
our way to the farm I ventured to inquire what had caused our invitation
to visit them at this particular time; he answered me only by repeating
the old saying, "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies," and so
we made no further inquiries. When Aunt Lucinda came forward to welcome
us, I at once noticed the remarkable change in her appearance; one would
have supposed that at least ten years had been taken from her age since
I last saw her, and her whole manner was so cheerful and sprightly that
I was at a loss to understand what could have happened; but I never
dreamed of the truth till after tea, when Aunt Lucinda rose and said: "I
want to see you, Walter, alone in the parlor." I followed her, secretly
wondering what wonderful revelation I was to listen to. When we were
seated, she said with her old abrupt manner, "Well, Walter, you have
heard Nathan talk about Joshua Blake, he has come back and we are going
to be married to-morrow and I have sent for you to attend the wedding.
You may well look astonished to hear an old woman like me talk about
getting married; and the land knows what Deacon Martin's folks will say;
but as long as they have liberty to say whatever they please, they
n