Hunting tn the Golden Days. 99 



standing up — unwounded. As the smoke clears off he 

 looks across at Oldwig, whom he sees lying prostrate on 

 the ground. In a moment he is kneeling by the 

 side of his now-disabled foe, who he finds is shot 

 through the heart. The body is quickly lifted into a 

 coach and driven rapidly away. But matters are not 

 to end here. Sir John walks up to Goodbery, and 

 in a stern manner demands satisfaction from him. 

 ''Things cannot rest here," he says, "honour must be 

 vindicated, you have damaged my sister's character, 

 and it is now my turn to have satisfaction from you." 



Goodbery, more dead than alive, returns to his posi- 

 tion. Pistols are again loaded, and the signal is about 

 to be given to fire, when suddenly our hero throws down 

 his pistol to the ground, for he dare not tempt fate the 

 second time. Falling upon his knees before Sir John, 

 he implores his forgiveness and asks on what conditions 

 he may be reinstated in his good opinion. Sir John is 

 at once amenable to reason, and demands that Goodbery 

 shall marry his sister without loss of time. The whole 

 of the party, the two blackguards included, then bundle 

 into the coach in attendance, and are hastily driven off 

 to a neighbouring church. Here Goodbery, to his 

 surprise, finds Miss Janet arrayed in wedding attire 

 with all the usual paraphernalia of veil and orange 

 blossoms. Goodbery cannot help wondering, too, why 

 she is wearing a pair of top boots. 



Too much cowed to attempt further resistance, 

 Goodbery is led up to the altar rails, where a parson 

 with a fiendish expression conducts the marriage 

 ceremony. The wedding over, the bells ring out in 

 horrible discord as though deriding him with his folly. 

 They are in the coach being driven back to Buckskin 

 Hall at racing pace. As they gallop along, Oldwig 



