“Och, sure, and himself had always the impidince av the divil, had Gintleman Geff!” exclaimed Judy, surprised into her dialect; then, suddenly aware of her “backsliding,” she clapped her hand to her mouth a minute too late and looked frightened; but as she saw that neither of her friends were in the least disturbed she felt relieved, while the visitor evidently thought that the brogue had been humorously assumed for the occasion, for she replied in kind: “Ay, has he—the thaif av the worruld!” Then, turning to Mrs. Walling, she continued: “What an active fate there seems to be at work here! Did you see the significance of the latter part of Jennie’s letter?” “Yes, of course; her father has left Medge, in the south of England, and is in temporary charge of Haymore vicarage, in the north of England,” replied Mrs. Walling. “And our Gentleman Geff of the many wives and aliases, in trying to escape his one real wife and avoid her father by getting off the steamer at Queenstown will unwittingly rush into their power again the moment he sets foot within his stolen estate at Haymore. Now, if his lawful wife had been anybody else there might be a chance for a show of fight. But the daughter of the Vicar of Haymore!” “Ah!” exclaimed Mrs. Walling, drawing her breath hard. “Jennie writes of the great preparations they are making at Haymore to receive the usurping squire, who is now expected to arrive with a large party of invited friends for the Christmas holidays, little knowing that he will there meet his lawful wife and her avenging, priestly father.” “And confront the lawful heir of Haymore with the more terrible family solicitors,” laughed Mrs. Walling. “Then Mr. Randolph Hay is really going over at once to take possession of his estates?” inquired the visitor. “Yes; he sails on Saturday; but not alone—he takes his wife with him. He will be married on Saturday morning and embark in the afternoon.” “Ah, indeed! That is news. I had heard no rumor of his being engaged, or even attentive to any of our girls. Who is she?” “My young friend here,” replied Mrs. Walling, pointing to Judy. Mrs. Duncan jumped up and kissed the girl with effusions and congratulations. Judy blushed and smiled and bowed, but did not venture to speak again. “The wedding is to be quiet. We don’t want a second edition of the ‘princely nuptials’ of ‘Mr. Randolph Hay’ and Miss Lamia Leegh. They, we think, have done enough in that way ‘for the honor of the family.’ Our wedding must be very plain. There are ‘no cards.’ I will not say there will also be ‘no cake, no nothing.’ So, as you are interested, if you will drop in, ‘promiscuously,’ at the ‘Little Church Around the Corner’ about ten o’clock to-morrow morning, you will witness one of the happiest, though not one of the grandest, weddings on record.” “I shall do myself that pleasure without a doubt,” replied Mrs. Duncan. And then she arose and took up her muff and hand-bag to intimate that she was ready to go.