he stairs, and the little
bridal procession was forming in the hall below.

Mr. Lyle came in and spoke to Dr. Jones.

"With Mrs. Cavendish's permission, even now, at the last moment, we must
make some slight changes in the programme," he said.

"Well?" inquired Dr. Jones, pleasantly.

"I was to have performed the ceremony and you were to have given the
bride away?"

"Yes."

"Well, we must change that. Mr. Lytton has but one groomsman. I must act
in that capacity also. You will please perform the ceremony, and Mr.
John Lytton here will have the honor of giving the bride away."

John Lytton bowed.

"I am quite willing. I will speak to Mrs. Cavendish," said Dr. Jones,
who went to his mother's chair and explained the situation to her.

"Certainly; be it as you will," she said.

Mr. Lyle then returned to the foot of the stairs and placed himself
beside Laura Lytton, who was acting as first bride-maid.

John Lytton and Dr. Jones remained in the room.

The little bridal procession soon entered and ranged themselves in order
before the minister.

Emma, as Electra had said, looked beautiful as a woman and elegant as a
bride. Her bride-maids also were very fair to see.

The ceremony was commenced with great impressiveness.

Old Mrs. Cavendish listened with the deepest attention, leaning back in
her easy-chair and sniffing at her bottle of ammonia.

John Lytton gave away the bride as if he were making a magnificent
present at his own expense.

Emma Cavendish not only wore her mother's bridal veil, but was married
with her mother's wedding-ring.

Dr. Beresford Jones pronounced the benediction.

And Alden Lytton and Emma Cavendish were made one in law, as they had
long been in mind and heart.

CHAPTER XL.

AFTER THE HOLY WEDDING.

The bride rose from her knee
And she kissed the lips of her mother dead
Or ever she kissed me.
--E. B. BROWNING.

The benediction was scarcely spoken before the fair bride left her
bridegroom's side and moved softly and swiftly to the side of the
easy-chair, where the form of her ancestress lay reclining.

All eyes followed her strange action, as she knelt beside the chair and
took the wasted hand of its occupant in her own. And some saw what Emma
had been the first to discover--that the happy spirit of the aged lady
was even then departing.

She spoke no word more, but slowly raising her hand she laid it gently,
as in