while the two young men
chatted freely with the bride and bridegroom, they were joined by
Gwynne Ellis, carrying an old and time-worn book under his arm.

Cardo gasped, "I never thought of the register; it is kept in the new
church! Is it absolutely necessary, Ellis? What shall we do? What
have you there?"

"Why, the old register, of course! I furraged it out last night from
that old iron chest inside the altar rails. There is another there,
going back to the last century, I should think. I must have a look at
them; they will be interesting."

"Ellis, you are a friend in need," said Cardo. "I had never thought of
this part of the ceremony."

"No, be thankful you had a cool and collected head to guide you. See,
here is a blank space at the bottom of one of these musty pages. It
won't be at all _en regle_ to insert your marriage here; but I dare not
bring the new register out of the other church; moreover, there may be
another wedding soon, and then yours would be discovered."

"What a genius you are!" said Cardo, while Gwynne Ellis wrote out in
bold, black characters, under the faded old writing on the rest of the
page, the certificate of Cardo and Valmai'a marriage.

"There, you have tied a knot with your tongue that you can't untie with
your teeth! Here is your marriage certificate, Mrs. Wynne. I need not
tell you to keep it safely."

Suddenly there was a rustling sound above them, which startled them
all, and Cardo grasped Valmai hastily, to the great amusement of the
young men.

It was the white owl, who had solemnly watched the proceedings in the
vestry, and now thought it time to take her flight through the broken
wall. "There Cardo," said Valmai, "I said the white owl would be at
our wedding, and the sea breeze, and the Berwen; I heard them both
while you were writing your name."

"Well now," said Gwynne Ellis, "Wilson, Chester, and I will leave you
both, as I know what a short time you will have together."

And with many congratulations and good wishes, the three young men left
the old church, leaving Cardo and Valmai to their last words before
parting.

There was a ricketty, worm-eaten bench in the vestry, and here they sat
down together. Cardo trying to keep up a cheerful demeanour, as he saw
her face sadden and her eyes fill with tears.

"How lovely you look, my darling," he said. "How did you manage to
escape Shoni's shrewd eyes in such finery?"

"I put my scarlet cloak on and d