'O! a fearful vulgar girl named Lydia Estabrooks, a Yankee lass, is about to become his bride. She covers herself with chains and ribbons, and her fingers blaze with stones. He has given it out in an underhand way that he has thrown me over.'
'What?'
'O! pray, love, do not look fierce like that. Nobody but Lydia believes him. Now that you are back again, I am sure that he will retract.'
'He shall be notified to do so.'
'There now, surely, darling, you are going to have no more quarrels.
Had I thought this, I never should have told you.'
'Be easy, love, be easy,'—he kissed her between sentences—'there shall be no more parting for us.'
From all that I can learn, Roland was thenceforth a constant visitor at the house; and speedily a day was fixed when she was to drop her maiden name.
'On the first day of sweet May,' she said to herself, 'I shall be Aster Gray; what a pretty name!' It was agreed that Roland should come back to Oatlands after his wedding tour and reside there; for on the marriage day, Mr. Atwell had resolved to endow his son-in-law with all his houses, every acre, every beast and every head of cattle that were his.
As for Nancy; Roland accompanied by Aster, went with her to her father's house, and Roland told the old man the story of his daughter's life. He at once forgave her and took her to his heart. I may bound a couple of years ahead and state that Nancy married a respectable farmer who was pleased enough to get a handsome wife and a valuable homestead. This couple had a family of four children afterwards; and one of these is now a member of the Legislature of Ontario. I shall not say whether he is a Grit or a Tory, for that would be getting upon too dangerous ground. Nancy died a few years ago and she sleeps now under the shade of a weeping willow.
Roland induced the officers to shut their eyes while The Lifter passed over to the States. In that country the smooth-tongued convert rapidly amassed a fortune. His son is a partner in extensive car works now, not a thousand miles from Detroit. I have met his grand-daughter and she is a most bewitching blonde.