this last
enthralling time.

"You're not frightened, Nell?"

"No--except a little. There is one thing----"

"What is it, my pet? If it's to the half of my kingdom, it shall be
done."

"Phil, we are going to be very good when we are together? don't
laugh--to help each other?"

He did laugh low, not to be heard, but long. "I shall have no
temptation," he said, "to be anything but good, you little goose of a
Nell," taking it for a warning of possible jealousy to come.

"Oh, but I mean both of us--to help each other."

"Why, Nell, I know you'll never go wrong----"

She gave him a little impatient shake. "You will not understand me,
Phil. We will try to be better than we've ever been. To be good--don't
you know what that means?--in every way, before God."

Her voice dropped very low, and he was for a moment overawed. "You mean
going to church, Nell?"

"I mean--yes, that for one thing; and many other things."

"That's dropping rather strong upon a fellow," he said, "just at this
moment, don't you think, when I must say yes to everything you say."

"Oh, I don't mean it in that way; and I was not thinking of church
particularly; but to be good, very good, true and kind, in our hearts."

"You are all that already, Nell."

"Oh, no, not what I mean. When there are two of us instead of one we can
do so much more."

"Well, my pet, it's for you to make out the much more. I'm quite content
with you as you are; it's me that you want to improve, and heaven knows
there's plenty of room for that."

"No, Phil, not you more than me," she said.

"We'll choose a place where the sermon's short, and we'll see about it.
You mean little minx, to bind a man down to go to church, the night
before his wedding day!"

And then there was a sound of movement indoors, and after a little while
the bride appeared among the guests with a little more colour than
usual, and an anxiously explanatory description of something she had
been obliged to do; and the confused hour flew on with much sound of
talking and very little understanding of what was said. And then all
the visitors streamed away group after group into the moonlight,
disappearing like ghosts under the shadow of the trees. Finally, the
Rectory party went too, the three mild ladies surrounded by an exciting
circle of cigars; for Alick, of course, had broken all bonds, and even
the Rector accepted that rare indulgence. Alice Hudson half deplored,
half exulted for years after