orm. The groom should not see the bride that day until
they meet at the altar."

"Let's change it!"

"No, sir, the old way's the best. I'll spend the day in saying good-by
to the past. You'll call for me at six o'clock. We'll go to Dr.
Craddock's house and be married in time for our wedding dinner."

The lover smiled, and his drooping eyelids fell still lower as he
watched her intently.

"I want that dinner here in this little place, Kiddo----"

She blushed and protested.

"I thought we'd go to the Beach and spend the night there."

"Here, girlie, here! I love this little place--it's so like you. Get
the old wild-cat who cleans up for you to fix us a dinner here all by
ourselves--wouldn't she?"

"She'd do anything for me--yes."

"Then fix it here--I want to be just with you--don't you understand?"

"Yes," she whispered. "But I'd rather spend that first day of our new
life in a strange place--and the Beach we both love--hadn't you just as
leave go there, Jim?"

"No. The waiters will stare at us, and hear us talk----"

"We can have our meals served in our room.

"This is better," he insisted. "I want to spend one day here alone with
you, before we go--just to feel that you're all mine. You see, if I walk
in here and own the place, I'll know that better than any other way.
I've just set my heart on it, Kiddo--what's the difference?"

She lifted her lips to his.

"All right, dear. It shall be as you wish. Tomorrow I will be all
yours--in life, in death, in eternity. Your happiness will be the one
thing for which I shall plan and work."

Ella was very happy in the honor conferred on her. She was given entire
charge of the place, and spent the day in feverish preparation for the
dinner. She insisted on borrowing a larger table from the little fat
woman next door, to hold the extra dishes. She dressed herself in her
best. Her raven black hair was pressed smooth and shining down the sides
of her pale temples.

The work was completed by three o'clock in the afternoon, and Mary lay
in her window lazily watching the crowds scurrying home. The offices
closed early on Saturday afternoons.

Ella was puttering about the room, adding little touches here and there
in a pretense of still being busy. As a matter of fact, she was watching
the girl from her one eye with a wistful tenderness she had not dared
as yet to express in words. Twice Mary had turned suddenly and seen her
thus. Each time Ella had started as if