hand that did not tremble, and dressed himself in his wedding clothes.
There was a haggard look on his face, and he seemed as though he had
grown years older in the last few days. Still there was a wild, uneasy
light of triumph in his eyes, and he kept murmuring to himself over and
over again:

'This is my wedding-day! Abel cannot claim her now--living or
dead!--living or dead! Living or dead!' He sat in his arm-chair, waiting
with an uncanny quietness for the church hour to arrive. When the bell
began to ring he arose and passed out of his house, closing the door
behind him. He looked at the river and saw the tide had just turned. In
the church he sat with Sarah and her mother, holding Sarah's hand
tightly in his all the time, as though he feared to lose her. When the
service was over they stood up together, and were married in the
presence of the entire congregation; for no one left the church. Both
made the responses clearly--Eric's being even on the defiant side. When
the wedding was over Sarah took her husband's arm, and they walked away
together, the boys and younger girls being cuffed by their elders into a
decorous behaviour, for they would fain have followed close behind their
heels.

The way from the church led down to the back of Eric's cottage, a narrow
passage being between it and that of his next neighbour. When the bridal
couple had passed through this the remainder of the congregation, who
had followed them at a little distance, were startled by a long, shrill
scream from the bride. They rushed through the passage and found her on
the bank with wild eyes, pointing to the river bed opposite Eric
Sanson's door.

The falling tide had deposited there the body of Abel Behenna stark upon