fidelis.” She could see the words now as he used to write them on the slate.  If he might only know that she cared for the ring!  If he might only know that she was waiting for him to come back to bring it to her.  If he might only know—­But he had God now; he was in the presence of Jesus Christ.  There was no marrying or giving in marriage in the presence of Christ in Heaven.  Giving in marriage and marrying had been in his presence on the earth; but where fullness of joy was, there was something better.  Marriage belonged to the earth.  She belonged to the earth; but he belonged to Heaven.  The ring did not signify that she was married to him—­I think it might have meant that to her, if she had read the shallow sentimentalism of some love stories; but Miss Prudence had kept her from false ideas, and given her the truth; the truth, that marriage was the symbol of the union of Christ and his people; a pure marriage was the type of this union.  Linnet’s marriage was holier and happier because of Miss Prudence’s teaching.  Miss Prudence was an old maid; but she had helped others beside Linnet and Marjorie towards the happiest marriage.  Marjorie had not one selfish, or shallow, or false idea with regard to marriage.  And why should girls have, who have good mothers and the Old and New Testaments?

With no shamefacedness, no foolish consciousness, she went down among them with Morris’ ring upon her finger.  She would as soon have been ashamed to say that an angel had spoken to her.  Perhaps she was not a modern school-girl, perhaps she was as old-fashioned as Miss Prudence herself.

XXIV.

JUST AS IT OUGHT TO BE.

“I chose my wife, as she did her wedding gown, for qualities that would wear well.”—­Goldsmith.

“Prudence!”

“Well, John,” she returned, as he seemed to hesitate.

“Have we arranged everything?”

“Everything!  And you have been home three hours.”

“Three and a half, if you please; it is now six o’clock.”

“Then the tea-bell will ring.”

“No; I told Deborah to ring at seven to-night.”

“She will think you are putting on the airs of the master.”

“Don’t you think it is about time?  Or, it will be at half past six.”

“Why, in half an hour?”

“Half an hour may make all the difference in the world.”

“In some instances, yes?”

They were walking up and down the walk they had named years ago “the shrubbery path.”  He had found her in the shrubbery path in the old days when she used to walk up and down and dream her girlish dreams.  Like Linnet she liked her real life better than anything she had dreamed.