nought else; to my
heart, dear, trusty comrade, to my heart," And he opened his arms, with
the tears in his eyes. But Denys came close to him, and peered in his
face, and devoured every feature; and when he was sure it was really
Gerard, he uttered a cry so vehement it brought the women running from
the house, and fell upon Gerard's neck, and kissed him again and again,
and sank on his knees, and laughed and sobbed with joy so terribly,
that Gerard mourned his folly in doing dramas. But the women with their
gentle soothing ways soon composed the brave fellow, and he sat smiling,
and holding Margaret's hand and Gerard's, And they all supped together,
and went to their beds with hearts warm as a toast; and the broken
soldier was at peace, and in his own house, and under his comrade's
wing.

His natural gaiety returned, and he resumed his consigne after eight
years' disuse, and hobbled about the place enlivening it; but offended
the parish mortally by calling the adored vicar comrade, and nothing but
comrade.

When they made a fuss about this to Gerard, he just looked in their
faces and said, "What does it matter? Break him of swearing, and you
shall have my thanks."

This year Margaret went to a lawyer to make her will, for without this,
she was told, her boy might have trouble some day to get his own, not
being born in lawful wedlock. The lawyer, however, in conversation,
expressed a different opinion.

"This is the babble of churchmen," said he, "Yours is a perfect
marriage, though an irregular one."

He then informed her that throughout Europe, excepting only the southern
part of Britain, there were three irregular marriages, the highest of
which was hers, viz., a betrothal before witnesses, "This," said he, "if
not followed by matrimonial intercourse, is a marriage complete in form,
but incomplete in substance. A person so betrothed can forbid any other
banns to all eternity. It has, however, been set aside where a party
so betrothed contrived to get married regularly, and children were born
thereafter. But such a decision was for the sake of the offspring,
and of doubtful justice. However, in your case the birth of your
child closes that door, and your marriage is complete both in form and
substance. Your course, therefore, is to sue for your conjugal rights;
it will be the prettiest case of the century. The law is all on our
side, the Church all on theirs. If you come to that, the old Batavian
law, which comp