n
my wash-stand?"

"Yes, I am," replied ANN.

"Where's your husband? Who is he? Do tell me all about it. Does he look
like anybody I know?"

"Well, I should say he did." answered ANN, grinning. "You see it's a
sort of a joke, BELINDA. You wouldn't see the point now, half as well as
you will after you're married to ARCHIBALD. Then I'll tell you. Oh, it's
too rich!" And she laughed immoderately.

"Oh, I can't wait. Tell me now. If you will, I'll give you my new
_pique_ and that bracelet. Come, why can't you?"

"Because I don't choose to," replied ANN coolly.

"Seems to me you're mighty short about it anyhow. Putting on airs, ain't
you, because you got married before I did?"

"Well, you needn't think nobody can get a fellow but you. Pooh, I could
cut _you_ out, any time."

"Oh, you _could_, could you?" returned BELINDA in high disdain. "Perhaps
you'd better try it on, with them freckles and that mole. I don't think
your husband, whoever he is, can brag much of his taste in the female
line. I'm sure _I_ don't want to see him, so you can keep him locked up,
you jealous thing. It's some old rowdy, I s'pose, that nobody else would
look at. I hate you, and always did. Don't never come near me. There!"
And she left in high dudgeon.

As she drove off, ANN stood by the window watching her. She
soliloquized, "So you think, Miss BELINDA, do you, 'that I'd better try
it on, with them freckles and that mole!' I think I _have_ tried it on,
and pretty effectually too. Just wait till you're married to BLINKSOP,
that's all."

By dark she began to look impatiently for TEDDY, for she felt sure he'd
find JEFFRY somewhere. It was nine o'clock, however, before he made his
appearance.

"Did you find him?" she inquired eagerly.

"I did, mum, sure, and a hard pull I had of it. I beat the whole town
through, and at last I found him a rollin' bowly alleys, and I giv him
your letther. Sich dreadful swears as he giv, mum, a walkin' up and down
an' a crushing his fingers like, and a bitin' his teeth together, and
then he stops in front of me, and says in an awful theatur voice, 'Tell
her,' says he, 'that I'll come,' and he giv me a kick, mum, as boosted
me clear to the sidewalk, and I see plainly as he had more remarks of
that same kind to deliver, and I edged off at about five miles an hour.
Goodnight to ye, mum."

ANN slept calmly and sweetly that night, for the one cherished idea of
her innocent girlhood was about to be consummate