ring tones from
behind its enveloping folds--

"I'm afeared you'll be a bit took a-back when ye go indoor, my dear;
best go cautious. I d' 'low ye'll be _surprised_!'

"What d'ye mean?" cried Jenny in alarm. "What's the matter?"

"Anything wrong?" inquired Sam from the rear.

But Betty was apparently entirely overcome, and could only intimate by
repeated jerking of her thumb over her shoulder her desire that they
should go in and see for themselves.

A long table was spread in the centre of the living-room, and, at the
moment that the bridal party entered, a tall figure, dressed in
kharki, was walking hastily round it, picking up a spoon from each
cup.

"Abel!" shrieked Jenny, staggering back against her husband.

"What, bain't ye dead?" gasped the latter with a dropping jaw.

Abel added another spoon to his collection, and then looked up:--"This
'ere only makes five," he said; "there did ought to be six. Where's
t'other?"

"Dear heart alive!" groaned Jenny's mother. "Jist look at en. We
thought en dead an' buried, an' here he be a-carryin' off the spoons!"

"I bain't dead, ye see," returned the yeoman fiercely. "There's more
Abel Guppys nor one i' the world, an' the man what got shot was a chap
fro' Weymouth. If I _was_ dead an' buried, all the same d'ye think I'd
leave my spoons to be set out at another man's weddin'? Where's the
other chaney dog?"

He had already pocketed one, and now cast a vengeful glance round.

"On the dresser, Abel," gasped Jenny faintly; "oh, my poor heart, how
it do beat! To think o' your comin' back like that! Oh, Abel, I made
sure you was killed."

"And you're very sorry, bain't ye?" returned her former lover with
wrathful irony, "I'll thank ye for my bank-book, if ye please. Ye
haven't drawed the money out--that's one good thing. They telled I all
about it at the post-office yesterday. That's my dish, too." Extending
a long arm he deftly whisked away the large old-fashioned platter
which had supported the wedding-cake, dusting off the crumbs with an
air of great disgust.

"I think ye mid have found summat else to put your cake on," he said,
with a withering look; "I think ye mid ha' showed a bit more feelin'
than that."

"I'm sure," protested Jenny plaintively, "'twas only out o' respect
for you, Abel, that I set out the things. 'Twas out o' fond memory for
you. You know you did say yourself when you was a-writin' out your
will, 'I'll leave you all my things, Jenny, so a