the paper written by the latter. "Come now all you good people! All sit round the room except you two principals to this solemn contract. You two stand before me and read over the paper. You, my Lord, read it first; and then you too, my Lady, do the same!" They sat round as they wished. Joy and Athlyne stood up before the Sheriff, who was also standing. Instinctively they took hands, and Athlyne holding the paper in his left hand, read as follows:
"We Calinus Patrick Richard Westerna Mowbray Hardy Fitzgerald, Earl of Athlyne, Viscount Roscommon and Baron Ceann-da-Shail and Joy Fitzgerald or Ogilvie late of Airlville in the State of Kentucky, United States of America, agree that we shall be and are united in the solemn bonds of matrimony according to the Law of Scotland and that we being of one mind as to the marriage, are and hereby declare ourselves man and wife.
Witness of above
We the undersigned hereby declare that we have in the presence of the above signatories and of each other seen the foregoing signatures appended to this deed by the signatories themselves in our presence and in the presence of each other.
Alexander Fenwick (Sheriff of Galloway).
Lucius Ogilvie (father of the bride).
Mary Hayes Ogilvie (mother of the bride).
Bedelia Ann O'Brien, widow (formerly nurse and foster mother to the bridegroom).
Judith Hayes (aunt of the bride)."
When the document was completed by the signatures the Sheriff, having first scanned it carefully, offered it to Colonel Ogilvie, who raising a protesting hand said:
"No, no, Mr. Sheriff! I think we should all prefer that it should be kept in your custody, if you will so oblige us."
"With the greatest pleasure" he said; and Athlyne and Joy having consented to the scheme he folded the document
