"I could do it without this, Richard, always." "No matter, Monsieur; dat is yours. Ugh! Monsieur, 'tis so cold. Don't forget--under the broad plank. Think I'll be a straight man in the other world, Monsieur?" "Yes, Richard." "Think you will know and love me there?" "I hope so, Richard." "So do I; in my heart, I do. Ugh! ugh! how cold. Give me your blessing, Monsieur." "God bless you, Richard." "Ugh, Monsieur, I am going. Good-bye. There is a time when life ceases to be sweet. Hih, hih!" The poor cripple threw himself over towards the wall; and, with a shivering moan, died. Guly gave the remains of his friend a decent funeral, and afterwards proceeded to find the strong-box, which his last request had been for him to seek. He found it in the designated place--strong-box indeed, and very heavy. On lifting the lid, the following words, scrawled on a bit of paper, in the dwarf's own hand, met his eye:-- "For Gulian Pratt--the only man who ever gave me money without seeming to begrudge it." Just beneath was written:-- "Love ye one another." Upon counting the contents of the box, Guly found himself the possessor of forty thousand dollars, the miserly savings of his crippled friend. Verily, "Cast thy bread upon the waters, and after many days it shall be returned to thee." He had enough to wed Blanche now! With a bounding heart, the boy hurried to her side, to tell her all. He did so, in the presence of Mrs. Belmont. "It required no fortune on your part," said the lady, kindly, "to have made your suit prosper with Blanche. To have known she loved you would have been sufficient, for to see her the bride of one whom I know to be so noble and good, is the highest boon I could ask for her. You are both, however, too young as yet to wed; but if, in two years' time, you find your love unchanged, you then shall have my sanction and my blessing." Two years! dear reader, they pass quickly with young hearts, and they were soon flown. In the softened shadow of the old cathedral windows--at the altar, where once before they had stood with Della and Bernard--Blanche and Guly took their places, side by side, with no one to divide them now or ever, in after life. There had come but little change upon them since we saw them last, save that Guly's hair had more of the brown and less of the golden about it, and his face grown even more noble in its lofty expression. As the ceremony was ended, they turned to leave the church, but a stranger, tall and dark, stood in their path. There was a moment's doubtful pause, then the brothers were clasped in each other's arms!