Year: 1873

eyes the ship with her sails just opening to
the breeze. At length they reached the
end of their journey.


She heard, as if in dream, her fathers
voice asking, els the Vixen still in the
bayP"


She heard the answer, eyes yonder she
lies in the roads," The words rang in her
ears as she tainted away.


II Edgar had endured a mental trial of no
light nature he had experienced all the
sickness of hope deferred 4; he had passed
through the bitter struggle between love
and duty he had seen the dreams of his
youth fade away he had spent week in
brooding over his loss and now his hopes
were unexpectedly re-awakened. The
heart might well long for peace after such
excitement But now visions of quiet hap
piness stole over his mind as he sat in the
vestry of Pitchton Church, waiting until
he could see the clergyman. 1t seemed all
so strange to him, he could scarcely believe
it was true. Alice had not arrived above
an hour before, but sometimes it seemed as
if they had never been parted, and some
times he would start from his reverie,
fancying that he might have been dream
ing all that had occurred, and still she
might be far away. But as time passed,
and the sound of the organ reverberated
around, and the voices of the singers as
they rose and fell bore words Of promise in
his heart his doubts and fears seemed to
vanish and his heart sweled with thank
fulness and hope.


At length the service ended, and Edgar
told his story in few words to the cler-
gyman, and begged that the marriage
service might be performed Immediately
but as there was no license that was i'm
possible. The clergyman explained this
to him but feeling much interested in his
success, he took him to the surrogate's, to
try if license could be obtained there I;
but on the question being asked, the sur
rogate declared he could not grant it, sug-
gesting, however, that the registrar might
be able to assist him. To him, however,
it was too late to go until the next day, as
he lived at some distance, so Edgar return
ed to the ship.


| In the course of the evening he went on
board frigate at anchor there, and saw
the chaplain, who promised to perform
the marriage service the next morning
without requiring license--it not being
necessary on board ship. At length he
thought all his troubles were over, and he
allowed his hopes free scope for action.


The next morning the bridal party ap-
peared, and every one was of the opinion
that handsomer couple had never been
seen at Pitchton. Proud of his bride, and
exulting in his success, Edgar assembled to
the deck Of the frigate, where again he was
doomed to disappointment. The chaplain
found the act dispensing with license on
board ship did not apply to the case of a
vessel lying in the roadstead. This was an
insuperable difficulty, and the only remain
ing resource was for Edgar to make appli-
cation for license to the registar. So he
borrowed a gig and set off instantly.


Meanwhile, Alice was asked to stay at
the rectory, where no means were left
untried to alleviate her anxiety; but moth
ing could induce her to leave the large
drawing-room window that overlooks the
sea.


The house stands within stones throw
of the water, and from which you can see
the whole sweep of the bay. On the other
side the coast stretches away for many a
mile, dotted here and there with white
houses, its hills flushed with rosy color
when the sun sinks low, its lazy outline
gradually melting into the distance. Not
far from the house is the anchorage; and
there, within mile Of Alice, lay the Vixen
transport, and still nearer the frigate. To
this it was that Alice looked most earnest
ly, for the master of the transport had
promised not to sail while the other remain
ed in the bay.


Lower sank the sun; the shadows grew
longer; the clouds became flushed with a
rosy light; then their colors became fainter,
and deadened into sombre gray; the ships
were less distinctly seen, but the song of
the sailors, as they got up their anchors,
was heard on board some of them, few
put to sea and glided away into the thick
ening night Alice clinched her hands
still more tightly, and her cheek grew
paler, and whenever step was heard in
the hall she would turn suddenly to the
door, then quickly turn seaward again.
Thus she sat when the shades Of evening
had blotted out the Vixen from the view,
and the tall masts of the frigate could