dutifully toward the door of the
Rectory.

But Ikey stood his ground. "Does de little girl come by de basket?" he
inquired.

"No, son; no. Dora will bring her.--Now run along like a good chap."

Ikey backed a few steps. "Does--does she come to de Orphanage?" he
persisted.

"No. She's not an orphan.--You see that Peter and Henry put everything
in shape, won't you?"

At this, Peter and Henry disappeared promptly. But Ikey only backed
another step or two. "Den she's got a mutter?" he ventured.

"Oh, yes--yes.--Be sure and dust the library."

Ikey gave way another foot. "Und also a fader?"

"Er--why--yes."

Now Ikey nodded, and turned away. "He ain't so sure," he observed
sagely, "aboudt de fader."

At this moment, loud voices sounded from the drawing-room--Henry's,
expostulating; next, the thin soprano of Peter; then a woman's, "Where
is he, I say? I want to see him!" And she came bursting from the
house, almost upsetting Ikey.

It was Mrs. Balcome, looking exceedingly wrathful. She puffed her way
across the grass, clutching to her the unfortunate Babette, and
dragging (though she had just arrived) at the crumpled upper of a long
kid glove, much as if she were pulling it on preparatory to a fight.
"Mr. Farvel,"--he had risen politely--"I have come to take away the
presents and other things belonging to us. Since you have seen fit to
turn my best friend out of her home, naturally the wedding cannot be
solemnized here."

Farvel bowed, reddening with anger. "Wallace Milo's wedding cannot be
solemnized here," he said quietly.

"_In_-deed!"

Ikey had entered with another box. She received it, scolding as she
put down the dog and pulled at the fastening of the package. "Oh, such
lack of charity! Such shameless lack of ordinary consideration! What
do you care that the wedding must take place at some hotel! And you
know these decorations won't keep! And it's a clergyman who's showing
such a spirit! That's what makes it more terrible! A man who
pretends----" Busy with the box, she had failed to see that Farvel was
no longer present. Now she whirled about, looking for him. "Oh, such
impudence! Such impudence!" she stormed.

Ikey indicated the package. "De man, he said, 'Put it on ice,'" he
cautioned.

"Ice?" Mrs. Balcome stared. "What's in it?"

"It felt like somet'ing for a little girl."

With a muttered exclamation, she threw the box upon the grass. "Is
Miss Susan here?" she de