not get any letters from you."

"You got no letters from me?"

"No."

"At Sydney?"

"No," said Eleanor venturing to look up.

"Did you not see Mr. Armitage?"

"Mr. Armitage! O he was in the back country--I remember now Mr. Amos
said that; and he never returned to Sydney while we were there."

An inarticulate sound came from Mr. Rhys's lips, between indignation
and impatience; the strongest expression of either that Eleanor had
ever heard from him.

"Then Mr. Armitage had the letters?"

"Certainly! and I am in the utmost surprise at his carelessness. He
ought to have left them in somebody else's charge, if he was quitting
the place himself. When did you hear from me?"

The flush rose again, not so vividly, to Eleanor's face.

"I heard in England--those letters--you know."

"Those letters I trusted to Mrs. Caxton?"

"Yes."

"And not since! Well, you are excused for your heart failing that once.
Who is to do it, Eleanor?--Mr. Amos?"

"If you please--I should like--"

He left her for a moment to make his arrangements; and for that moment
Eleanor's thoughts leaped to those who should have been by her side at
such a time, with a little of a woman's heart-longing. Mrs. Caxton, or
her mother! If one of them might have stood by her then! Eleanor's head
bent with the moment's poor wish. But with the touch of Mr. Rhys's hand
when he returned to her, with the sound of his voice, there came as it
always did to Eleanor, healing and strength. The one little word
"Come," from his lips, drove away all mental hobgoblins. He said
nothing more, but there was a great tenderness in the manner of his
taking her upon his arm. His look Eleanor dared not meet. She felt very
strange yet; she could not get accustomed to the reality of things.
This man had never spoken one word of love to her, and now she was
standing up to be married to him.

The whole little party stood together, while the marriage service of
the English church was read. It was preceded however by a prayer that
was never read nor written. After the service was over, and after
Eleanor had been saluted by the two ladies who were all the
representatives of mother and sister and friends for her on the
occasion, Mr. Rhys whispered to her to get her bonnet. Eleanor gladly
obeyed. But as soon as it appeared, there was a general outcry and
protest. What were they going to do?"

"Take her to see how her house looks," said Mr. Rhys. "You forget I
have something to