d, and she smiled in her
sleep and thought she saw her mother.

JEFFRY MAULBOY kept his word. He was there at noon of the next day. And
the minister that was to marry them, and the lawyer that was to divorce
them, were there also.

At one o'clock they were man and wife, sworn to love, honor, and obey
each other till death did them part. At a quarter of two o'clock they
were man and woman, sworn to love, honor, and obey anybody they wanted
to, for a divorce did them part. And they went their separate ways.

CHAPTER SEVENTH.

WHERE IS ANN?

BELINDA returned from the Half-Way House, firmly determined to find out
all about that affair of ANN'S. Any woman would naturally feel curious
about it, and BELINDA really cannot be blamed for showing a little
feeling. "To think." said she, "after all my bragging that I'd be
married first, and the times I've twitted her of being too homely to get
a beau, that she should step out and get married right under my very
nose, and I not know anything about it, or even who she's married. Oh,
it's _too_ much. But I'll find out, if I die for it, and if there _is_
anything about it that ain't straight, won't I crow over her?"

The Hon. MICHAEL was also very anxious to find out about it. With the
affectionate ardor of a grass widower of fifty-five, in a State where
divorces sprout like mushrooms, he was loath to believe that ANN was
utterly lost to him. No, he would find her, he would follow her if
necessary to the world's end, living only in this hope, and when at last
the goal was reached, and her adored form greeted his vision, he would
pour out his wealth of love, bending his ear to catch the sweet
response, and then, and only then, would everything be lovely.

And so it comes that he and BELINDA, each with a different motive, take
counsel together in reference to the same end.

BELINDA'S first step was to send ARCHIBALD to the Half-Way House, for a
full description of the man that called there for ANN.

"Be smart for once in your life," said she, "and find out _something_."

Then she and the Hon. MICHAEL started off to find out what direction ANN
took after leaving the Half-Way House. They interviewed every
carriage-driver, depot-master, and hotel-keeper for miles around, but
without the slightest success. They finally came across a farmer,
however, who said be drove a woman to the station below. To their eager
inquiries as to her appearance, he could say nothing further, than he