inner
came a lull.

"Thank goodness, everything is ready at last," breathed Felicity
devoutly, as we foregathered for a brief space in the fir wood. "We've
nothing more to do now but get dressed. It's really a serious thing to
have a wedding in the family."

"I have a note from Sara Ray," said Cecily. "Judy Pineau brought it up
when she brought Mrs. Ray's spoons. Just let me read it to you:--

DEAREST CECILY:--A DREADFUL MISFORTUNE has happened to me. Last
night I went with Judy to water the cows and in the spruce bush we
found a WASPS' NEST and Judy thought it was AN OLD ONE and she
POKED IT WITH A STICK. And it was a NEW ONE, full of wasps, and
they all flew out and STUNG US TERRIBLY, on the face and hands.
My face is all swelled up and I can HARDLY SEE out of one eye.
The SUFFERING was awful but I didn't mind that as much as being
scared ma wouldn't take me to the wedding. But she says I can go
and I'm going. I know that I am a HARD-LOOKING SIGHT, but it
isn't anything catching. I am writing this so that you won't get
a shock when you see me. Isn't it SO STRANGE to think your dear
Aunt Olivia is going away? How you will miss her! But your loss
will be her gain.

"'Au revoir,
"'Your loving chum,
SARA RAY.'"

"That poor child," said the Story Girl.

"Well, all I hope is that strangers won't take her for one of the
family," remarked Felicity in a disgusted tone.

Aunt Olivia was married at five o'clock in the orchard under the late
apple tree. It was a pretty scene. The air was full of the perfume of
apple bloom, and the bees blundered foolishly and delightfully from one
blossom to another, half drunken with perfume. The old orchard was full
of smiling guests in wedding garments. Aunt Olivia was most beautiful
amid the frost of her bridal veil, and the Story Girl, in an unusually
long white dress, with her brown curls clubbed up behind, looked so tall
and grown-up that we hardly recognized her. After the ceremony--during
which Sara Ray cried all the time--there was a royal wedding supper, and
Sara Ray was permitted to eat her share of the feast with us.

"I'm glad I was stung by the wasps after all," she said delightedly.
"If I hadn't been ma would never have let me eat with you. She just got
tired explaining to people what was the matter with my face, and so
she was glad to get rid of me. I