and made things uncomfortable for everybody. Doggie from the
security of his regiment wished them joy by letter and telegram, and
sent them the wedding presents aforesaid.

Then for a season there were three happy people, at least, in this
war-wilderness of suffering. The newly wedded pair went off for a
honeymoon, whose promise of indefinite length was eventually cut short
by an unromantic War Office. Oliver returned to his regiment in France
and Peggy to the Deanery, where she sat among her wedding presents and
her hopes for the future.

"I never realized, my dear," said the Dean to his wife, "what a
remarkably pretty girl Peggy has grown into."

"It's because she has got the man she loves," said Mrs. Conover.

"Do you think that's the reason?"

"I've known the plainest of women become quite good-looking. In the
early days of our married life"--she smiled--"even I was not quite
unattractive."

The old Dean bent down--she was sitting and he standing--and lifted
her chin with his forefinger.

"You, my dear, have always been by far the most beautiful woman of my
acquaintance."

"We're talking of Peggy," smiled Mrs. Conover.

"Ah!" said the Dean. "So we were. I was saying that the child's
happiness was reflected in her face----"

"I rather thought I said it, dear," replied Mrs. Conover.

"It doesn't matter," said her husband, who was first a man and then a
dean. He waved a hand in benign dismissal of the argument. "It's a
great mercy," said he, "that she has married the man she loves instead
of--well ... Marmaduke has turned out a capital fellow, and a credit
to the family--but I never was quite easy in my mind over the
engagement.... And yet," he continued, after a turn or two about the
room, "I'm rather conscience-stricken about Marmaduke, poor chap. He
has taken it like a brick. Yes, my dear, like a brick. Like a
gentleman. But all the same, no man likes to see another fellow walk
off with his sweetheart."

"I don't think Marmaduke was ever so bucked in his life," said Mrs.
Conover placidly.

"So----?"

The Dean gasped. His wife's smile playing ironically among her
wrinkles was rather beautiful.

"Peggy's word, Edward, not mine. The modern vocabulary. It means----"

"Oh, I know what the hideous word means. It was your using it that
caused a shiver down my spine. But why bucked?"

"It appears there's a girl in France."

"Oho!" said the Dean. "Who is she?"

"That's what Peggy, even now, would g