"I'll stay with Marget, Shon, while you go in," said Nanno, when they heard that the Doctor was at home.

"Deet, you'll come with me," said Shon, and they were conducted to the vicar.

"I want a marriage license, sir," said Shon.

"A what, Shon?" said puzzled Nanno.

"A guinea's worth to let us be married Thursday," said Shon, and procured it, with the clerical blessing.

"I shall never have my dress!" said Nanno, as soon as they left the vicarage. "And then to be married by license!"

"Ah! but you must! Come along to Miss Lewis, dressmaker." They went, and Miss Lewis, like the ladies, said "Impossible." "Come you, Miss Lewis fach," said Shon, with his winning smile, which displayed a wonderful set of white teeth, "I'll pay double: but we must have it to-morrow night."

"A dress in less than twenty-four hours! Impossible."

"Let all hands haul in and you'll do it!" said Shon, taking leave. "Now, Nanno, last and least, the little bit o' gold wire."

"It certainly is 'Now or never,"" thought Nanno.

Blushing hurricanes of roses, Nanno was taken to the jeweller's, who being used to such matters, took no notice. It was pretty to see Shon's big, brown hands tenderly manipulating the "bit o' gold wire," and Nanno hiding, or reflecting her blushes, in the glass case whence it was

taken.

"I've got a ring I made out of a nugget on purpose for you, Nanno fach. It will do for a keeper," said Shon.

"Go you away, while I buy my bonnet," whispered Nanno. "I'll just be standing outside," replied Shon.

So the wedding gear was bought Tuesday, and, to the amazement of everybody, was sent home Wednesday night.

"What time we lose over our trousseaux," said the ladies.

"And déjeûners," they might have added, for they improvised the most perfect little breakfast in no time, at which they presided at ten o'clock on Thursday.

Before noon of that eventful day, Shon and Nanno were man and wife, and before midnight they were in Liverpool. In a few days he passed his examination for master, and became Captain Peregrine the following week, a command having been given him and Nanno assumed the title of Mrs. Captain Peregrine, together with the motto of "Happy's the wooing that's not long a-doing."

THE ARGOSY.

OCTOBER 1, 1874.

IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT.

M

CHAPTER XXX.

MISS CULPEPPER SPEAKS HER MIND.

RS. MCDERMOT had reached Pincote, and she did not fail to let everyone know it. As the Squire had predicted, the moment she had taken off her waterproof and changed her boots she marched straight into the library and asked for her money. It was with a feeling of profound satisfaction that her brother unlocked his bureau and handed her a roll of notes representing five thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds. She counted the notes over twice, slowly and carefully.

"What are the seven hundred and fifty pounds for?" she asked. "Interest for three years at five per cent. per annum."

"I thought you would have got me seven per cent. at the least," she said ungraciously. "My man of business tells me that seven is quite a common thing now-a-days. He says that he can get me nine or ten per cent. on real property without any difficulty."

"I should advise you to be careful what you are about," said the Squire gravely. "Big profits, big risks: little profits, little risks."

"I know perfectly well what I'm doing," said Mrs. McDermot with a toss of her antiquated curls. "It's you slow sleepy country folk who crawl behind the times and miss half the golden chances that come to people who keep their eyes wide open."

The Squire shook his head but said no more. He groaned in spirit when he thought what his "golden chance" had done for him.

"Let her buy her experience as I've bought mine," he said to himself. "From a girl she was always pig-headed: let her pay for it." "Have you any idea how long your aunt is likely to stay?" he asked Jane a day or two later.

VOL. XVIII.

R