hat's all in the hands of the
Almighty. But in becoming the future Duchess of Merioneth--"

"That's in the hands of the Almighty, too, isn't it?"

"No; yes. Of course everything is in God's hands."

"The children, the dukedom, and all the estates."

"I never knew any one so provoking," she exclaimed.

"One is at any rate as much as another."

"You don't a bit understand me," she said. "Of course if I go and get
married, I do get married."

"And if you have children, you do have children. If you do,--and I
hope you will,--I'm sure they'll be very pretty and well behaved.
That will be your duty, and then you'll have to see that Llwddythlw
has what he likes for dinner."

"I shall do nothing of the kind."

"Then he'll dine at the Club, or at the House of Commons. That's my
idea of married life."

"Nothing beyond that? No community of soul?"

"Certainly not."

"No!"

"Because you believe in the Trinity, Llwddythlw won't go to heaven.
If he were to take to gambling and drinking you wouldn't go to the
other place."

"How can you be so horrid."

"That would be a community of souls,--as souls are understood. A
community of interests I hope you will have, and, in order that you
may, take care and look after his dinner." She could not make much
more of her cousin in the way of confidence, but she did exact a
promise from him, that he would be in attendance at her wedding.

A few days afterwards he returned to Hendon Park, leaving his sister
to remain for a fortnight longer at Castle Hautboy.

CHAPTER XV.

MARION FAY AND HER FATHER.

"I saw him go in a full quarter of an hour since, and Marion Fay went
in before. I feel quite sure that she knew that he was expected."
Thus spoke Clara Demijohn to her mother.

"How could she have known it," asked Mrs. Duffer, who was present in
Mrs. Demijohn's parlour, where the two younger women were standing
with their faces close to the window, with their gloves on and best
bonnets, ready for church.

"I am sure she did, because she had made herself smarter than ever
with her new brown silk, and her new brown gloves, and her new brown
hat,--sly little Quaker that she is. I can see when a girl has made
herself up for some special occasion. She wouldn't have put on new
gloves surely to go to church with Mrs. Roden."

"If you stay staring there any longer you'll both be late," said Mrs.
Demijohn.

"Mrs. Roden hasn't gone yet," said Clara, lingering. It was Sund