"My dear, that is folly. To-morrow she will be your father's wife, and will take her place here, of course, as mistress. And I hope you two will get on well together. If you are wise you will do so." May did not speak. "We will only be away for a few days, a week at most, as I shall have to be back, I suppose, for the adjourned inquest. We are going to London, and if you are a good girl I will bring you back a smart gown." "But father--to-morrow you agreed--for Mr. Temple to come here." "Mr. Temple must wait; I did not like to tell him I was going to be married to-morrow when he proposed to come. I will leave a note for him, and give orders that he can have the mare over on trial whenever he likes. Well, May, come and give me a kiss, and wish me happiness." The girl rose up at her father's bidding and kissed his brow. "I wish you happiness, father," she said, in a low, faltering voice, and then she turned away and suddenly left the room. She went to her own, and stood at the window looking out on the moonlit garden. "Will this make any difference to him?" she was thinking, and a vague uneasiness stole into her heart. CHAPTER XIII. GOOD RESOLUTIONS. John Temple went early to Woodside the next morning, after first making up his mind that he must indulge in no more lovemaking to May Churchill. "It's not fair to the dear little girl," he told himself. "I was led away last night; any man would--a saint would have been, and I am not a saint." He kept this determination in his mind all the way to the farm. He was going to see Mr. Churchill about his horse, and not to look at the sweet Mayflower. Nevertheless, his pulses beat a little more quickly when he thought of her, and when he rang at the doorbell of the house his heart was throbbing fast. In answer to his inquiry if Mr. Churchill were within, the maid replied, with rather a peculiar smile, that her master had left home for some days. "But," she added, "he left a letter for you, sir, with Miss Churchill, and she told me to tell you this if you called." "Then can I see Miss Churchill?" asked John. "Yes, sir; will you step this way?" John accordingly followed the maid to the dining-room, and when she announced Mr. Temple, May rose to receive him with a shy smile and a charming blush. "I called to see your father about the horse," began John as he took her pretty white fluttering hand in his. "Yes, he left a letter for you," answered May; "a--very strange thing has happened, Mr. Temple." "What has happened?" asked John, smiling, and thinking the while how lovely she looked. "After you left last night," and the blush deepened as she spoke, "he told me he was going away to be married to-day." "To be married!" echoed John, in great surprise. "Yes, it has upset me very much; I do not like the person; I do not like it at all." "And you knew nothing about it?"