by them."

"Ee--hee! Ee--hee! Ee--hee!" sobbed Cap, entirely concealing her white
cambric handkerchief under her impenetrable veil.

"Come, come! we lose time!" said the elder Le Noir. "Draw her arm
within yours, Craven, and lead her out."

The young man did as he was directed and led Cap from the room. It was
now quite dark--the long, dreary passage was only dimly lighted by a
hanging lamp, so that with the care she took there was scarcely a
possibility of Capitola's being discovered. They went on, Craven Le
Noir whispering hypocritical apologies and Cap replying only by low
sobs.

When they reached the outer door they found a close carriage drawn up
before the house.

To this Craven Le Noir led Capitola, placed her within and took the
seat by her side. Colonel Le Noir followed and placed himself in the
front seat opposite them. And the carriage was driven rapidly off.

An hour's ride brought the party to an obscure church in the depths of
the forest, which Capitola recognized by the cross on its top to be a
Roman Catholic chapel.

Here the carriage drew up and the two Le Noirs got out and assisted
Capitola to alight.

They then led her into the church, which was dimly illumined by a pair
of wax candles burning before the altar. A priest in his sacerdotal
robes was in attendance. A few country people were scattered thinly
about among the pews, at their private devotions.

Guarded by Craven Le Noir on the right and Colonel Le Noir on the left,
Capitola was marched up the aisle and placed before the altar.

Colonel Le Noir then went and spoke apart to the officiating priest,
saying, in a tone of dissatisfaction:

"I told you, sir, that as our bride was an orphan, recently bereaved,
and still in deep mourning, we wished the marriage ceremony to be
strictly private, and you gave me to understand, sir, that at this hour
the chapel was most likely to be vacant. Yet, here I find a half a
score of people! How is this?"

"Sir," replied the priest, "it is true that at this hour of the evening
the chapel is most likely to be vacant, but it is not therefore certain
to be so! nor did I promise as much! Our chapel is, as you know, open
at all hours of the day and night, that all who please may come and
pray. These people that you see are hard-working farm laborers, who
have no time to come in the day, and who are now here to offer up their
evening prayers, and also, some of them, to examine their consciences
preparat