. Balcome
was downstairs when I dressed."

Sue looked. "It's all right, mother dear."

"And this bonnet"--she gave it a petulant twitch--"you know it's
heavier on one side than the other. I told you that when you were
making it."

"I'm sorry, mother." Sue adjusted the bonnet with deft hands.

"And now I have a thousand things to do!" It was like a dismissal of
Sue. Two things had come between them: on Sue's part, it was the
sudden knowledge of her mother's character--of its depths and its
shallows; while on the part of the elder woman, it was injured pride,
and never-to-be-forgotten mortification.

Mrs. Milo floated away to the door. "And Mr. Farvel has a great secret
to tell you," she chirped as she went; "--a wonderful secret." She
turned to blink both eyes at the clergyman roguishly. "He's going to
confess to you." Then she held out the bride's bouquet, and with such
a peremptory gesture that Sue came to take it from her. Next she shook
a finger at Farvel. "Now out with it, Alan!" she commanded.

"Alan!" gasped Sue, under her breath. She gave her mother a tiny push.
"Yes, go, mother! Hurry! You're wanted at the telephone!"

"I'm wanted at the steamship office," answered Mrs. Milo. "Oh, think
of it!--Egypt! The Holy Land! The Garden of Eden!"

Left alone, both Farvel and Sue found the moment embarrassing. She
went back to the sun-dial, picking at the flowers of the bouquet. He
stood apart, hands rammed in pockets.

Presently, "Well, I--I don't have to go to Europe." She smiled at him
shyly.

"No. That's--that's good."

"And--and when I went out you--you were saying----"

It helped him. "I was trying to--to make a clean breast of something,"
he began, faltering. "But--but--oh, she can tell you best." He looked
up at the window of his study. "Hattie!" he called. "Hattie!"

"Yes, Alan!" A rose fell upon the grass; then Hattie looked down at
them, radiant and laughing, her fair hair blowing about her face.

"Come here, little woman."

"All right." The fair head disappeared.

"Hattie!" Sue was like one in a dream.

"You're--you're shocked. But wait----"

"No--no. That is,--not the way you mean." Then as the truth came to
her, she went unsteadily to a bench, sat, and leaned her head on a
hand. Now she understood why her mother was willing to leave her
behind!

Hattie came tearing across the grass to her. "Oh, Sue! Oh, you're
crying! Oh, _dear_ Sue, you're crying!"