“I drink to your happiness, my dear Lucy, and to that of Mrs. Jasher’s.”

“And I drink to Archie’s and to yours, father,” she replied.  “I am glad that you will not be lonely when we are married.  Archie and I wish to become one in January.”

“Yes,” said Hope, finishing his champagne, “my income is now all right, as my uncle has paid up.”

“Very good, very good.  I make no objection,” said Braddock placidly.  “I will give you a handsome wedding present, Lucy, for you may have heard that my future wife has money left to her by her brother, who was lately a merchant in Pekin.  She is heart and hand with me in our proposed expedition to Egypt.”

“Will you go there for the honeymoon, sir?” asked Hope.

“Not exactly for the honeymoon, since we are to be married in spring, and my expedition to the tomb of Queen Tahoser cannot start until the late autumn.  But Mrs. Braddock will come with me.  That is only just, since it will be her money which will furnish the sinews of war.”

“Well, everything is arranged very well,” said Lucy.  “I marry Archie; you, father, make Mrs. Jasher your wife; and I suspect Sir Frank will marry Donna Inez.”

“Ha!” said Braddock with a start, “the daughter of De Gayangos, who has come here for the missing mummy.  Mrs. Jasher told me somewhat of that, my dear.  But I shall see Don Pedro myself to-morrow.  Meanwhile, let us eat and drink.  I must go down to the museum, and you—­”

“We shall go to congratulate Mrs. Jasher,” said Lucy.

So it was arranged, and shortly Professor Braddock retired into his sanctum along with the devoted Cockatoo, who displayed lively joy on beholding his master once more.  Lucy, after being carefully wrapped up by Archie, set out with that young man to congratulate the bride-elect.  It was just half-past nine when they started out.

The night was frosty and the stars twinkled like jewels in a cloudless sky of dark blue.  The moon shone with hard brilliance on the ground, which was powdered with a light fall of snow.  As the young people walked briskly through the village, their footsteps rang on the frosty earth and they scrunched the snow in their quick tread.  The Warrior Inn was still open, as it was not late, and lights shone from the windows of the various cottages.  When the two, following the road through the marshes, emerged from the village, they saw the great mass of the Fort bulking blackly against the clear sky, the glittering stream of the Thames, and the marshes outlined in delicate white.  The fairy world of snow and moonlight appealed to Archie’s artistic sense, and Lucy approving of the same, they did not hurry to arrive at their destination.

But shortly they saw the squarely fenced acre of ground near the embankment, wherein Mrs. Jasher’s humble abode was placed.  Light shone through the pink curtains of the drawing-room, showing that the widow had not yet retired.  In a few minutes the lovers were at the gate and promptly entered.  It was then that one of those odd things happened which would argue that some people are possessed of a sixth sense.