The meeting between the Baron and Minnie gave a new shock to poor Mrs. Willoughby, who looked with a helpless expression, and walked away for a little distance. Dacres and Hawbury were still eagerly conversing and questioning one another about their adventures. Tozer also had descended and joined himself to the priest; and each of these groups had leisure for a prolonged conversation before they were interrupted. At length Minnie made her appearance, and flung herself into her sister's arms, while at the same time the Baron grasped Tozer by both hands, and called out, in a voice loud enough to be heard by all, "You shall marry us, parson--and this very day, by thunder!" These words came to Mrs. Willoughby's ears in the midst of her first joy at meeting her sister, and shocked her inexpressibly. "What's that, Minnie darling?" she asked, anxiously. "What is it? Did you hear what that dreadful--what the--the Baron said?" Minnie looked sweetly conscious, but said nothing. "What _does_ he mean?" asked her sister again. "I suppose he means what he says," replied Minnie, with a timid air, stealing a shy look at the Baron. "Oh dear!" said Mrs. Willoughby; "there's another dreadful trouble, I know. It's very, very hard--" "Well, I'm sure," said Minnie, "I can't help it. They all do so. That clergyman came and saved me, and he wasn't a Roman Catholic clergyman at all, and he proposed--" "Proposed!" cried Mrs. Willoughby, aghast. "Oh yes," said Minnie, solemnly; "and I had hard work preventing him. But, really, it was _too_ absurd, and I would not let him be too explicit. But I didn't hurt his feelings. Well, you know, then all of a sudden, as we were sitting there, the bugle sounded, and we came back. Well, then, Rufus K. Gunn came--and you know how very violent he is in his way--and he said he saved my life again, and so he proposed." "_He_ proposed! Why, he had proposed before." "Oh yes; but that was for an engagement, and this was for our marriage." "Marriage!" "Oh yes; and, you see, he had actually saved my life twice, and he was very urgent, and he is so awfully affectionate, and so--" "Well, what?" cried Mrs. Willoughby, seeing Minnie hesitate. "Why, he--" "Well?" "I mean, I--" "You what? Really, Minnie dearest, you might tell me, and not keep me in such dreadful suspense." "Why, what could I say?" "But what _did_ you say?" "Why, I think I--said--yes," said Minnie, casting down her eyes with indescribable sweetness, shyness, meekness, and resignation. Mrs. Willoughby actually shuddered. "Now, Kitty," exclaimed Minnie, who at once noticed it, "you needn't be so horrid. I'm sure you can't say any thing against him _now_. You needn't look so. You _always_ hated him. You _never_ would treat him kindly." "But this--this marriage. It's too shocking." "Well, he saved my life." "And to-day! How utterly preposterous! It's shameful!" "Well, I'm sure I can't help it."