nd the tea-table at Locust Hill. The evening passed very cheerily.
The commodore, Mrs. Waugh, Marian and Thurston, were all in excellent
spirits. And Thurston, out of pure good nature, sought to cheer and
enliven the pretty, peevish bride, Jacquelina, who, out of caprice,
affected a pleasure in his attentions that she was very far from
feeling. This gave so much umbrage to Dr. Grimshaw that Mrs. Waugh
really feared some unpleasant demonstration from the grim bridegroom,
and seized the first quiet opportunity of saying to the young gentleman:

"Do, Thurston, leave Lapwing alone! Don't you see that that maniac is as
jealous as a Turk?"

"Oh! he is!" thought Thurston, benevolently. "Very well! in that case
his jealousy shall not starve for want of ailment;" and he devoted
himself to the capricious bride with more _impressement_ than
before--consoling himself for his discreet neglect of Marian by
reflecting on the blessed morrow that should place her at his side for
the whole day.

And so the evening passed; and at an early hour the party separated to
get a good long night's rest, preparatory to their early start in the
morning.

But Thurston, for one, was too happy to sleep for some time; too happy
in the novel blessedness of resting under the same roof with his own
beautiful and dearest Marian.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE BRIDE OF AN HOUR.

It was a clear, cold, sharp, invigorating winter morning. The snow was
crusted over with hoar frost, and the bare forest trees were hung with
icicles. The cunning fox, the 'possum and the 'coon, crept shivering
from their dens; but the shy, gray rabbit, and the tiny, brown
wood-mouse, still nestled in their holes. And none of nature's small
children ventured from their nests, save the hardy and courageous little
snow-birds that came to seek their food even at the very threshold of
their natural enemy--man.

The approaching sun had scarcely as yet reddened the eastern horizon, or
flushed the snow, when at Locust Hill our travelers assembled in the
dining-room, to partake of their last meal previous to setting forth.

Commodore Waugh, and Mrs. L'Oiseau, who were fated to remain at home and
keep house, were also there to see the travelers off.

The fine, vitalizing air of the winter morning, the cheerful bustle
preparatory to their departure, the novelty of the breakfast eaten by
candle-light, all combined to raise and exhilarate the spirits of the
party.

After the merry, h