way happy," she told them. "And there's nothing more
to be said; for of course you both understand that I don't distrust
Laurie. How could I, after he has been so wonderful all this year? It's
only--" she hesitated--"I suppose it's life I'm afraid of," she
confessed. "I never used to be. But--well, I learned in New York how
helpless we are, sometimes."

Rodney's nod was understanding.

"I know," he robustly agreed. "But it's going to be absolutely all
right. Be sure of that."

Epstein added his well-meaning but none too happily chosen bit.

"Laurie can't get into no scrape ve can't get him out of," he earnestly
assured Laurie's sister.

Barbara laughed. A circle of new-comers was forming around them.

"We'll let it go at that," she said, and extended a hand to each man.
"Good-by. I won't try to thank you. But--God bless you both!"

Under the influence of this final benediction, Epstein waddled over to
the corner where Warren, very pale, and Louise Ordway, very much bored,
stood surrounded by a group that included Sonya Orleneff. Firmly
detaching the bridegroom from this congenial assemblage, Epstein led him
to one side.

"Varren," he said solemnly, "I got to congratulate you all over again.
You got von voman in a million--No, you got von voman in eighty
million!"

Warren laughed, rather shakily. Over the heads of the crowd his eyes
caught his wife's and held them for an instant.

"Make it a million million," he suggested joyously, and led Epstein to
the supper room.

Laurie was there with Bangs and a group of friends, who, having
patronized young Devon a year ago, were endeavoring to wipe out the
memory of this indiscretion by an excess of friendly attention. Laurie's
brilliant eyes, filled with the excited glitter they had taken on
to-night, saw through the attempt and the situation. Both amused him. In
his clubs, or anywhere but here, he might have indulged himself to the
extent of having a little fun with these people. But not in his own
home, while he was acting as host at his sister's wedding. Here his
manner was perfect, though colored by the exhilaration of his mood.

"No," Warren and Epstein heard him say to Mrs. Lytton and Mrs. Renway,
"there's nothing I'd like better than to come, thank you. But I'm going
back to New York to-morrow. You see," he added, "this business of
marrying off a sister, and attending to all the details and seeing that
she conducts herself properly as long as she's in my ca