Katherine began to smile at the figure her wedding guests might be expected to cut, then cried out in alarm:  “Oh dear, whatever shall we do if the bishop comes, as you have asked?  What will he think of such a mixed medley of folks?”

“I have no doubt that he will think it a fine opportunity for preaching a sermon, and, as he is really a very eloquent man, he is sure to be worth listening to,” Jervis said quietly.

“There is one thing Nellie and I can’t agree about, and I want you to settle it for me,” she said, facing round upon him with a sudden gravity which surprised him, because she had been laughing only a moment before.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Nellie wants to take French leave and borrow Mr. Selincourt’s new house for the wedding; but I should hate it!” she exclaimed vehemently.

“There is no need—­besides, Mr. Selincourt will probably be here.  Why not use the store?  Your stocks of goods are nearly at their lowest, and the people that could not get inside could stay outside,” he said.

Katherine drew a long breath of relief; then she said softly:  “Thank you; I thought you would not disappoint me.  You never have; I do not think you ever will.  But Nellie said—­”

“Yes, what did she say?” he asked, his voice very gentle now, as if he understood something of the trouble and diffidence which lay behind.

“Nellie said that you would not care to be married in a country store, with cheese and bacon and all that sort of thing about.  She and Ted Burton were married so, but that was different,” Katherine answered jerkily.

“The store seems to me an ideal place for the ceremony, seeing that we have no church.  How do you feel about it yourself?” he asked abruptly.

“I should prefer it there.  Only, I wanted to be sure you would not mind,” she said, flinging her head up with a proud gesture, although the laughing light had come back to her eyes.

“I think, my dear, that the man who marries you will be so supremely fortunate that it will matter nothing whether the ceremony is performed in a cathedral or an Indian dug-out,” he said, with a gravity that showed the words to be no empty compliment, but the sincere expression of what he felt.

Katherine’s lips quivered, but it was a day for smiles, not tears; so she laughed in the nervous fashion with which she was apt to cloak all deep emotion, and said:  “I suppose the store may be regarded as the middle way between the cathedral and the dug-out; anyhow, it will be cleaner than the latter by a good long way.  I shall tell Nellie to-night that you are quite satisfied to be married in the store, and then perhaps her scruples will vanish.”

“We will hope so, at all events,” he answered.  “The easiest way to issue invitations will be to chalk a notice on the board outside the store, inviting anyone who wishes to be present at the wedding of Miss Katherine Radford with Jervis Ferrars, date to be fixed later on.  That had better be attended to to-morrow, so that the intending guests may have time to get their finery all in readiness.”