f the China Sea. So perhaps
it's just as well--for Aunt Hannah's sake, at least--that he was in no
worse place than on his own couch at home. Anyhow, she went, and in half
an hour they blandly informed Aunt Hannah that they were going to be
married to-day.

"Aunt Hannah said she tried to stop that, and get them to put it off
till October (the original date, you know), but Bertram was obdurate.
And when he declared he'd marry her the next day if it wasn't for
the new license law, Aunt Hannah said she gave up for fear he'd get a
special dispensation, or go to the Governor or the President, or do some
other dreadful thing. (What a funny old soul Aunt Hannah is!) Bertram
told _me_ that he should never feel safe till Billy was really his; that
she'd read something, or hear something, or think something, or get
a letter from me (as if anything _I_ could say would do any good-or
harm!), and so break the engagement again.

"Well, she's his now, so I suppose he's satisfied; though, for my part,
I haven't changed my mind at all. I still say that they are not one bit
suited to each other, and that matrimony will simply ruin his career.
Bertram never has loved and never will love any girl long--except to
paint. But if he simply _would_ get married, why couldn't he have taken
a nice, sensible domestic girl that would have kept him fed and mended?

"Not but that I'm very fond of Billy, as you know, dear; but imagine
Billy as a wife--worse yet, a mother! Billy's a dear girl, but she knows
about as much of real life and its problems as--as our little Kate. A
more impulsive, irresponsible, regardless-of-consequences young woman
I never saw. She can play divinely, and write delightful songs, I'll
acknowledge; but what is that when a man is hungry, or has lost a
button?

"Billy has had her own way, and had everything she wanted for years
now--a rather dangerous preparation for marriage, especially marriage
to a fellow like Bertram who has had _his_ own way and everything _he's_
wanted for years. Pray, what's going to happen when those ways conflict,
and neither one gets the thing wanted?

"And think of her ignorance of cooking--but, there! What's the use?
They're married now, and it can't be helped.

"Mercy, what a letter I've written! But I, had to talk to some one;
besides, I'd promised I to let you know how matters stood as soon as I
could. As you see, though, my trip East has been practically useless. I
saw the wedding, to be s