"You may be right, Malachi, in your argument," said Mrs Campbell; "but still you must make allowances for our prejudices. We never should think that she was a married woman, if no further ceremony was to take place." "Well, ma'am, just as you please; but, still, suppose you marry them after your fashion, the girl won't understand a word that is said, so what good will it do?" "None to her at present, Malachi; but recollect, if she is not a Christian at present, she may be hereafter; I have often thought upon that subject, and although I feel it useless to speak to her just now, yet as soon as she understands English well enough to know what I say to her, I hope to persuade her to become one. Now, if she should become a Christian, as I hope in God she will, she then will perceive that she has not been properly married, and will be anxious to have the ceremony properly performed over again; so why not do it now?" "Well, ma'am, if it pleases you, I have no objection; I'm sure Martin will have none." "It will please me very much, Malachi," replied Mrs Campbell. "And although there is no chaplain at the fort," observed Mr Campbell, "yet the Colonel can marry in his absence; a marriage by a commanding officer is quite legal." "Yes," replied Alfred, "and so is one by a Captain of a man-of-war." "So be it then," replied Malachi; "the sooner the better, for the soldiers are very troublesome, and I cannot keep them out of my lodge." Martin, who had remained outside the door, and overheard all that passed, now came in; the subject was again canvassed, and Martin returned his thanks for the permission given to him. "Well," said Emma, "I little thought we should have a wedding in the family so soon; this is quite an event. Martin, I wish you joy; you will have a very pretty and a very good wife." "I think so too, miss," replied Martin. "Where is she?" said Mary. "She is in the garden, miss," said Malachi, "getting out of the way of the soldiers; now that the work is done, they torment her not a little, and she is glad to escape from them; I'd tell them to go away, but they don't mind me; they know I must not use my rifle." "I should hope not," replied Mrs Campbell; "it would be hard to shoot a good man merely because he wished to marry your daughter." "Why, yes, ma'am, it would," replied Malachi; "so the sooner she is given to Martin, the sooner we shall have peace."