aring in a cloud of dust and
mortar to make room for a five-story office building.

Frances could not be reconciled to this, nor was she the only one who
felt sad at sight of yawning vacancy where the dignified old mansion had
stood. The feelings of the optician were mixed; he was fond of the
place, but its sale solved some of the difficulties that had weighed
upon him, and when Mrs. Bond took a small house farther out, where there
were trees and a garden for the General to play in, he furnished two
rooms for himself, and, after the first wrench of leaving, he and
Peterkin found it very comfortable. His show-cases and other fixtures
were moved to a shop not far from the old one.

Before this, however, something even more interesting had occurred.

As Mr. Carter had only six weeks' leave, he and Lillian decided to have
a quiet wedding the last of April, making a short visit at his home on
their way West.

"I am very much alone in the world, and there are no people I care more
to have at my wedding than you and Mary," Lillian said to Mrs. Morrison;
"and it is easier and simpler to have it here."

Miss Moore professed to be highly indignant at the whole affair. "Here I
have been upholding her in her independence, taking her side, and she in
the basest manner deserts and goes over to the enemy," she exclaimed.

Lillian laughed shamelessly. "Never mind, dear, when you have finished
your course you are coming out to me, and we'll start the most ideal of
kindergartens in our wild Western town."

She went about her preparations with a light heart, growing prettier and
brighter each day. As for Mr. Carter, he won golden opinions from
everybody, even from the critical Wilson, who was one day moved to
confide that he and Zenobia were contemplating the same step.

No one showed a more genuine interest in the wedding preparations than
Mrs. Richards. She had taken a fancy to Lillian, and declared that her
love affair was delightfully interesting and novel for these unromantic
times. She lent her carriage to facilitate the shopping, and the evening
before the wedding day entertained the bride and groom elect.

Just such a gathering had never before been seen in Mrs. Richards's
beautiful home, for it was Frances who had the naming of the guests, and
she chose to have their friends of the winter. There was the Spectacle
Man, of course, and Emma and Gladys and Miss Moore,--it was too bad Mark
couldn't get home in time,--and Mrs.