ervers. "They do not to me. I feel as though all the rites in
the world would be quite powerless and without meaning in face of the
fact of our eternal unity."

It was a queer little speech for her to make, with its thought and
balance; Godfrey often reflected afterwards, expressing as it did a
great truth so far as they were concerned, since no ceremonial, however
hallowed, could increase their existing oneness or take away therefrom.
At the moment, however, he scarcely understood it, and only smiled in
reply.

Then they went into the vestry and signed their names, and everything
was over. Here Godfrey's former trustee, General Cubitte, grown very
old now, but as bustling and emphatic as of yore, who signed the book
as one of the witnesses, buttonholed him. At some length he explained
how he had been to see an eminent swell at the War Office, a "dug-out"
who was an old friend of his, and impressed upon him his, Godfrey's,
extraordinary abilities as a soldier, pointing out that he ought at
once to be given command of a regiment, and how the eminent swell had
promised that he would see to it forthwith. Oh! if he had only known,
he would not have thanked him.

At last they started for the motor-car, which was to drive them in pomp
three hundred yards to the Hall. Some delay occurred. Another motor-car
at the church gate would not start, and had to be drawn out of the way.
Three or four of the nurses from the hospital and certain local ladies
surrounded Isobel, and burst into talk and congratulations, thus
separating her from Godfrey.

Overhearing complimentary remarks about himself, he drew back a little
from the porch into the church which had now emptied. As he stood there
someone tapped him on the shoulder. The touch disturbed him; it was
unpleasant to him and he turned impatiently to see from whom it came.
There in front of him, bundled up in a rusty black cloak of which the
hood covered the head, was a short fat woman. Her face was hidden, but
from the cavernous recesses of the hood two piercing black eyes shone
like to those of a tiger in its den. After all those years Godfrey
recognised them at once; indeed subconsciously he had known who had
touched him even before he turned. It was Madame Riennes.

"Ah!" she said, in her hateful, remembered voice, "so my little Godfrey
who has grown such a big Godfrey now--yes, big in every way, had
recognition of his dear Godmamma, did he? Oh! do not deny it; I saw you
jum