isses as she stood up to put on her hat and coat.

"You always get your way, Granny," she said; and the old lady, as she
walked with her to the door, answered, "I have had my way for nearly
eighty years, dearie, and I've found it a very good way. I'm not likely
to change it now."

"And none of us want you to change it, dear. Granny's way is always a
wise way." And she kissed her again ere she ran down the steps to her
carriage. Yet as the old lady stepped slowly back to the parlor, she
muttered, "Fred Mostyn is a fool! If he had any sense when he left
England, he has lost it since he came here."

Of course nothing good came of this irritable interference. Meddling
with the conscience of another person is a delicate and difficult
affair, and Ruth had already warned Ethel of its certain futility. But
the days were rapidly wearing away to the great day, for which so
many other days had been wasted in fatiguing worry, and incredible
extravagance of health and temper and money--and after it? There would
certainly be a break in associations. Temptation would be removed, and
Basil Stanhope, relieved for a time from all the duties of his office,
would have continual opportunities for making eternally secure the
affection of the woman he had chosen.

It was to be a white wedding, and for twenty hours previous to its
celebration it seemed as if all the florists in New York were at work in
the Denning house and in St. Jude's church. The sacred place was radiant
with white lilies. White lilies everywhere; and the perfume would have
been overpowering, had not the weather been so exquisite that open
windows were possible and even pleasant. To the softest strains of music
Dora entered leaning on her father's arm and her beauty and splendor
evoked from the crowd present an involuntary, simultaneous stir of
wonder and delight. She had hesitated many days between the simplicity
of white chiffon and lilies of the valley, and the magnificence of
brocaded satin in which a glittering thread of silver was interwoven.
The satin had won the day, and the sunshine fell upon its beauty, as
she knelt at the altar, like sunshine falling upon snow. It shone
and gleamed and glistened as if it were an angel's robe; and this
scintillating effect was much increased by the sparkling of the diamonds
in her hair, and at her throat and waist and hands and feet. Nor was
her brilliant youth affected by the overshadowing tulle usually so
unbecoming. It veil