So far from dampening anyone"s spirits this little _contretemps_ only seemed to set things off at a livelier pace. They had a brisk ride home, and the wedding feast and the wedding cake were all that could be desired.

What went with it was the finest that any of the guests ever tasted before or since, and the champagne was all but served in beer steins.

When it came to the healths they drank to Aunt Mary along with the bride and groom, and Mitch.e.l.l made a speech, invoking Heaven"s blessings on the triple compact and covering himself with glory.

"Here"s to Aunt Mary and her bride and her groom," he cried, when they told him to rise and proclaim. "Here"s to Aunt Mary and her bride and groom, and here"s to their health and their wealth and their happiness.

Here"s to their brilliant past, their roseate present and their gorgeous future. And here"s to hoping that Fate, who is ready and willing to deal any man a bride, may some time see fit to deal some one of us another such as Jack"s Aunt Mary. So I propose her health before all else. Aunt Mary, long may she wave!"

Aunt Mary looked as if words and actions were poor things in which to attempt to express her feelings, but no one who glanced at her could be in two minds as to her state of approval as to everything that was going on.

The bridal pair drove away somewhere after five o"clock, and about seven the main body of the guests returned to the city.

Mrs. Rosscott"s mother and Mitch.e.l.l and Burnett remained a day or two to keep Aunt Mary from feeling blue, but Aunt Mary was not at all inclined that way.

"If those two young people are lookin" forward to anythin" like as much fun as I am," she said over and over again, "well, all is they"re lookin"

forward to a good deal."

"Won"t we whoop her up next summer!" said Burnett; "well, I don"t know!"

"My dear Robert," said his mother gently.

"Don"t stop him," said Aunt Mary. "He knows just how I feel an" I know jus" how he feels. It isn"t wrong, Mrs. Burnett, it"s natural. We were born to be happy, only sometimes we don"t know just how to set about it."

"Miss Watkins has. .h.i.t the nail on the head," said Mitch.e.l.l, rolling a cigarette. "She has not only hit the nail on its own head, but she has succeeded in driving its point well into all our heads. She taught us many things during her short visit. I, for one, am her debtor forever. Me for joy, from now on!"

Aunt Mary smiled. "My heavens!" she murmured; "to think how nice it all come out, and how really put out I was when Jack first began, too."

Burnett put his hand in his pocket and pulled out some gum.

"Robert!" cried his mother, "you don"t chew gum, do you?"

"Of course he doesn"t," said his friend quickly; "that"s why he had it in his pocket."

Aunt Mary looked thoughtfully at him.

"Give me a little," she said, "maybe it"s suthin" I"ve been missin"."

Mrs. Burnett left the next day, and Mitch.e.l.l went the day after.

The carpenters took down the addition, and the wedding presents were shipped to town.

"She says she"ll be goin" soon," said Lucinda to Joshua.

"Then she"ll be goin" soon," said Joshua.

"I"m sure I"ll be glad," said Lucinda; "such hifalutin sky-larkin"!"

Joshua said nothing. Mr. Stebbins had apprised him of Aunt Mary"s arrangements in his behalf and he felt no inclination to criticize any of her doings and sayings.

Toward the end of the next week this telegram was received.

Dear Aunt Mary: We"re home and ready when you are. Telegraph what train.

J. and J.

The telegram was handed to Aunt Mary at ten in the morning. Her fingers trembled as she opened it.

"My heavens alive, Lucinda," she cried, the next minute, "I do believe, if you"ll be quick, that I can make the twelve-twenty! Run! Tell Joshua to get my trunk down and harness Billy as quick as he can. He can telegraph that I"m comin" after I"m gone."

Lucinda flew Joshua-wards.

"She wants to make the twelve-twenty train!" she cried. Joshua looked up.

"Then she"ll make it," he said.

She made it!

_Anne Warner"s "Susan Clegg" Books_

SUSAN CLEGG AND HER FRIEND MRS. LATHROP

_By_ ANNE WARNER

Nothing better in the new homely philosophy style of fiction has been written.-_San Francis...o...b..lletin_.

One of the most genuinely humorous books ever written.-_St. Louis Globe-Democrat_.

Anything more humorous than the Susan Clegg stories would be hard to find.-_The Critic_, New York.

_By the Same Author_:

SUSAN CLEGG AND HER NEIGHBORS" AFFAIRS

All the stories brim over with quaint humor, caustic sarcasm, and concealed contempt for male and matrimonial chains.-_Philadelphia Ledger_.

SUSAN CLEGG AND A MAN IN THE HOUSE

Susan is a positive joy, and the reading world owes Anne Warner a vote of thanks for her contribution to the list of American humor.-_New York Times_.