upon
her taking a little walk, and she is so glad to have Cecil, though the
child is awed by the sad face.

St. Vincent's breath is short and comes with difficulty. Whatever
Grandon does must be done quickly. When the dying man stirs he asks him
a question.

"If you would----" with a long, feeble sigh, but the eyes fill and
overflow with a peaceful light.

"Violet," Grandon says, an hour later, "your father wishes for the
marriage now. My child, are you--quite willing?"

She gives him her hand. For a moment he rebels at the sacrifice. She
knows nothing of her own soul, of love. Then he recalls the miserable
ending of more than one love marriage. Was Laura's love to be preferred
to this ignorance?

"Come," he says; "Cecil, too."

"She must be dressed!" cries Denise. "Oh, my lamb, I hope it may not be
ill fortune to have no wedding dress, but you must be fresh and clean."
Cecil looks on in wide-eyed wonder.

"Is she going to be married as Aunt Laura was?" she asks, gravely.

Grandon wonders how she will take it. If it should give her sweet,
childish love a wrench!

They assemble in the sick-room. The two stand close beside the bed, so
near that St. Vincent can take his daughter's hand and give her away.
The vows are uttered solemnly, the bond pronounced, "What God hath
joined together let no man put asunder."

"Cecil," her father says, "I have married Miss Violet. She is to be
your mamma and live with us. I hope you will love her."

Cecil studies her father with the utmost gravity, her eyes growing
larger and more lustrous. Her breath comes with a sigh. "Papa," as if
revolving something in her small mind, "madame cannot be my mamma now?"

"Madame----"

"Grandmamma said when I was just a little naughty this morning that I
could not do so when madame was my mamma, that I would have to obey
her."

"No, she never would have been that," he returns, with a touch of
anger.

"You will love me!" Violet kneels before her and clasps her arms about
the child, gives her the first kisses of her bridehood; and Cecil, awed
by emotions she does not understand, draws a long, sobbing breath, and
cries, "I do love you! I do love you!" hiding her face on Violet's
shoulder.

Floyd Grandon has given his child something else to love. A quick,
sharp pang pierces him.

There is a little momentary confusion, then Violet goes to her own
father and lies many moments with his feeble arms about her, until a
slight spasm stirs