id not
respond, and she continued, "I have ridden all night to bring you a
Christmas gift."

"A Christmas gift?" he repeated, hardly conscious of the words he spoke,
so great had been the shock of his awakening from a dream of pain to a
reality of bliss. "Where--where is it?"

"Here," replied the girl, throwing off the great-coat and pressing her
hands upon her bosom to indicate herself. Then Dic, in a flood of
perceptive light and returning consciousness, caught the priceless
Christmas gift to his heart without further question.

In a moment Billy Little entered the door that Rita had closed.

"Here, here, break away," cried Billy, taking Rita and Dic each by the
right hand. As he did so Dic's mother entered from the adjoining room,
and Billy greeted her with "Howdy," but was too busy to make
explanations.

"Now face me," said that little gentleman, speaking in tones of command
to Rita and Dic.

"Clasp your right hands." The hands were clasped. "Now listen to me.
Diccon Bright, do you take this woman whom you hold by the hand to be
your wedded wife?"

Dic's faculties again began to wane, and he did not answer at once.

"The answer is, 'I do,' you stupid," cried Billy, and Dic said, "I do."

"Do you, Rita Fisher Bays,--Margarita Fisher Bays,--take this man whom
you hold by the right hand to be your husband?"

Rita's faculties were in perfect condition and very alert, so she
answered quickly, "I do."

"Then," continued our worthy justice of the peace, "by virtue of
authority vested in me by the laws of the state of Indiana, I pronounce
you husband and wife. I kiss the bride."

After kissing Rita, and shaking hands with Dic and Mrs. Bright, Billy
hurried out through the door, and the new-made husband and wife watched
him as he mounted and rode away. He was singing--not humming, but
singing--at his topmost pitch, "Maxwelton's braes are bonny, where early
falls the dew." He had never before been known to complete the stanza.
His voice could be heard after he had passed out of sight into the
forest, and just as the sun peeped from the east, turning the frost dust
to glittering diamonds and the snow-clad forest to a paradise in white,
the song lost itself among the trees, and Dic, closing the door, led
Rita to his hearth log.

* * * * *

Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall

By CHARLES MAJOR

_Author of "When Knighthood Was in Flower," etc._

With eight full-page illustrations by