fered his arm. "Shall we go
down now, Mrs. Heathcote?"

They were married the next morning in the little military chapel. Mrs.
Rankin was at the fort again, Lieutenant Rankin being major and in
command. The other poor wives who had been her companions there were
widows now; the battle-fields round Richmond were drawn with lines of
fire upon their hearts forever. Mrs. Rankin, though but just arrived,
left her household goods unpacked to decorate the chapel with wreaths of
the early green. Miss Teller and Miss Lois, both in such excitement
that they spoke incoherently, yet seemed to understand each other
nevertheless, superintended the preparations at the church-house.

As a wedding gift, Gregory Dexter sent the same package Anne had once
returned to him; the only addition was a star for the hair, set with
diamonds.

* * * * *

"I said that perhaps you would accept these some time" (he wrote). "Will
you accept them now? They were bought for you. It will give me pleasure
to think that you are wearing them. I have no right to offer you a ring;
but the diamond, in some shape, I must give you, as the one imperishable
stone. With unchanging regard,

"GREGORY DEXTER."

* * * * *

"You have no objection?" said Anne, with a slight hesitation in her
voice.

"No," answered Heathcote, carelessly; "it would hurt him too much if we
returned them. But what a heavily gorgeous taste he has! Diamonds,
sables, and an India shawl!"

He had never been jealous of Dexter. Why should he be jealous now?

The new chaplain read the marriage service, but Pere Michaux gave the
bride away. Not only the whole village was present, but the whole water
parish also, if not within the chapel, then without. People had begun to
cross from the mainland and islands at dawn, so as to be in time; the
Straits were covered by a small fleet. Miss Teller was the only
stranger, save the bridegroom himself.

Anne was dressed simply in soft white; she wore no ornaments. Mr. and
Mrs. Heathcote would not be rich; on the contrary, they would begin
their married life with a straitened income, that is, in worldly wealth.
In youth, beauty, and a love so great that it could not be measured in
words, the bridegroom was richer than the proudest king. As for the
bride, one look in her eyes was enough.

"I, Anne, take thee, Ward, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold,
from this day forward, for bett