Widnes Examiner. — 1909-10-02 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

CHAPTER XXV.  It was the end of the summer, and a glorious hot morning. The Hall garde-ns were a gorgeous mass of colour—of yellow sunflowers and red hollylicats, of phloxes anti lilies and carnations. Geoffrey stooped over one of the beds, and -plucking one held it out to Olga, who stood by his side. "What is it about a carnation being sweet ? " he asked. "'Carnations .sweet, and so are you. darling." He stood, catching her hand as she held it out for the flower and keeping it between his. "Olga," he added, " when are we going to be married. darlinn 7"  Geoffrey slapped him on the back.. "The sooner the better," he cried. Then, as Dick stared at him, he added: "The so,ner you decide to marry her the sooner Olga will decide to marry mo. Hurry her up, old man, and beg for a double wedding. It will wake Kennet up." "Kennet has been woke up enough for one year, I should think," said Dick, "but a wedding—and a double one—will round of things nicely. They want rounding off, Geoffrey. The thing haunts me like a nightmare still, and Julia's death and Edward's suicide—the remembrance still sends me cold."  "But everybody is forgetting . now,,, said Geoffrey. Things are straightening out, -ind even mother is getting quite bright 11,7ain. I was afraid it would make her ill, ;mit she was plucky, wasn't she? She felt she id Olga to look after, and that kept her lig. She had no time to think of herself ust °then, and if it hadil teen for her Olgz. would have been seriously ill, I think. Mother saved her, and herself too. Good old mother She won't approve of Ethel going."  "she won't go far," said Dick, "only next door—over the garden wall, in fact." "The garden wall is a mile off, all the same," replied Geoffrey. "They can't very well pop out and talk over it before breakfast."  Dick laughed a little. They can try," he said.  "I suppose they'll have to," retorted Geoffrey. They had reached the corner of the terrace wall, where the drive was just visible, and suddenly Dick stood still. "Geoffrey," 'he cried, "who is that?"  Geoffrey ' 'looked and raised - -1-11s'. brows sharply. "It's Mrs. Dunston ! What on earth can she want?"  At that moment Mrs. Verriker appeared at the window above them. She opened it and came out slowly..  "Geoffrey," -she said, "I've just had a visit from Mrs. Dunston."  "Well, mother ? "  "She came—to say good-bye, and to ask us to forgive her," she said. "She couldn't see you; the poor thing was too upset—too broken-hearted. She has changed terribly. She doesn't look the same; but, somehow, .I like the change." "She came to say good-bye?" Geoffrey cried. "Where is she going to?" "To London," said Mrs. Verriker. "Her furniture is to be sold and the money given to the vicar; he has, in fact, got charge of the sale. She has given him everything, and is going to London without a penny in her pocket to join some mission in the East End. She says she has many things to wipe out, and perhaps she has." "Perhaps she has," echoed Geoffrey, "but it seems strange to think of her working in a slum. I always feel as if I stood in her shoes —almost as if I had cheated her, poor thing. I always feel that I want to make it up to hes for coming into the estate, and yet I don't know how I can."  "No, you can't," said Mrs. Verriker, "and the work will be the best thing for her. Shit will forget everything in poor people'i troubles. I am glad she is doing that." "Dr. Grey said she would," remarked Ethel. "He told me so."  "Well, now come and have lunch," said Verriker. "I tried to persuade her tc stay, but I coUld not. She could not face ue all again—not yet, anyhow." "Perhaps we may go and see her in her slum," said Ethel, linking her arm in Dick's. "After we are married," replied Dick. "Who says we are going to ho married?" asked Ethel. "I do " said 'Dick.  Ethel 'stood still, looking into his eyes. "When shall it be ? " he asked, gravely.  "Whenever you like," ,Ethel —whierecl back.  And the double' wedding took place before many weeks were' over, while the summer was still in its glory, and before the autumn winds robbed the Hall gardens of their flowers. With the sun pouring full upon her Olga took into her hands, that were clean now, a man's life, and gave her own in exchange. The two little Cathcarts were, her bridesmaids, and the , two boys her pages. Ethel had an equal number, and she knelt - side by side with the girl she had once doubted, and who rose at last, Sir Geoffrey's wife, cleared of all stain and shame. __  Olga's eyes were full of tears when Geoffrey put her into the carriage at last. "Why, darling—wife—what is it?" ho asked, as they drove away. ".t is too much lutuDiness." she answered,  " Darlin-g wife, you couldn't have, too much," ne said. A burst of cheering answered him. They were passing the gates of the lodge where another crowd had assembled. As the horses drew up for a moment before the gates, a woman with a baby in her arms hurled a horseshoe into Olua's satin lap. II was Mts. Crawford's daughter. "For luck !" she cried. • [Tin ENDA