Such a marriage promised to prove a happy one. In its early days, of course, everything was rose-coloured--those days when Maude went down to stay with George and Gertrude at the school, and when, a little later, Walter Joyce ran down for the Easter holidays to his old quarters. He was glad of the chance of seeing them once again, he said, and determined to avail himself of it; and then George Benthall looked in his face and smiled knowingly. Walter returned the grin, and added: "For it's a chance that may not happen to me again." And when his friend looked rather blank at this, and asked him what he meant, Joyce laughed again, and finally told him that Lord Hetherington had just had a piece of patronage fall to his share--the rectory of Newmanton-by-Perringden, a lovely place in the Isle of Wight, where the stipend was not sufficiently great to allow a man with a large family to live on it, but the exact place for a parson with a little money of his own. And Lord Hetherington had inquired of Joyce whether his friend, that remarkably pleasant fellow,--bless my soul, forget my own name next! him we saw married, don't you know?--whether he was not exactly the sort of fellow for this place, and would he like it? Walter thought that he was and he would; and Lord Hetherington, knowing Joyce was going down to see his friend, bid him inquire, and if all were straight, assure Mr. Benthall that the living was his. And this was how Walter Joyce executed his commission, and this was how George Benthall heard this most acceptable news. "By the way, what made you grin, Benthall, when I said I had come down here for my holiday to look at my old quarters?" asked Walter. "Because I thought there might be yet another reason which you had not stated. Anxiety to see some one here!" "Anxiety is the wrong word. Strong wish to see you and your wife again, and----" "My wife and I are out of the affair! Come, confess!" "I give you my honour I don't know what you mean." "Likely enough; but I'm older than you, and, parson though I am, I declare I think I've seen more of the world. Shall I tell you what brought you down here? I shall!--then I will!--to see Maude Creswell." "Maude Creswell! What on earth should I--what--why--I mean--what, is Miss Creswell gone?" "Simply the woman who thinks more about you than any other creature on earth. Simply the girl who is raving--head over ears in love with you. Don't pretend you don't know it. Natural instinct is too strong to allow any doubt upon that point." "I swear you surprise me beyond belief! I swear that---- Do you mean this, Benthall?" "As a gentleman and a Christian, I've told you what I believe; and as a man of the world, I tell you what I think, whether wittingly or unwittingly, you are very far gone in returning the young lady's sentiments!" "I--that is--there's no doubt she is a girl of very superior mind, and--by Jove, Benthall, you've given a most singular twist to my holiday!"