ed Patsy, as they
rode home. "It's all right, dear," he announced, with a sigh. "I hate
to see my girls take the matrimonial dive, but I guess they've got to
come to it, sooner or later."

"Later, for me," laughed Patsy.

"As for young Weldon," continued Mr. Merrick, reflectively, "he has some
mighty good points, as I found out long ago. Also he has some points
that need filing down. But I guess he'll average up with most young men,
and Louise seems to like him. So let's try to encourage 'em to be happy;
eh, my dears?"

"Louise," said Beth, slowly, "is no more perfect than Arthur. They both
have faults which time may eradicate, and as at present they are not
disposed to be hypercritical they ought to get along nicely together."

"If 't was me," said the Major, oracularly, "I'd never marry Weldon."

"He won't propose to you, Daddy dear," returned Patsy, mischievously;
"he prefers Louise."

"I decided long ago," said Uncle John, "that I'd never be allowed to
pick out the husbands for my three girls. Husbands are a matter of
taste, I guess, and a girl ought to know what sort she wants. If she
don't, and makes a mistake, that's _her_ look-out. So you can all choose
for yourselves, when the time comes, and I'll stand by you, my dears,
through thick and thin. If the husband won't play fair, you can always
bet your Uncle John will." "Oh, we know, that," said Patsy, simply;
and Beth added: "Of course, Uncle, dear."

Thursday evening, the third and last of the series, was after all the
banner night of the great Kermess. All the world of society was present
and such wares as remained unsold in the booths were quickly auctioned
off by several fashionable gentlemen with a talent for such brigandage.
Then, the national dances and songs having been given and received
enthusiastically, a grand ball wound up the occasion in the merriest
possible way.

Charlie Mershone was much in evidence this evening, as he had been
before; but he took no active part in the proceedings and refrained from
dancing, his pet amusement. Diana observed that he made frequent trips
downstairs, perhaps to the hotel offices. No one paid any attention to
his movements, except his cousin, and Miss Von Taer, watching him
intently, decided that underneath his calm exterior lurked a great deal
of suppressed excitement.

At last the crowd began to disperse. Uncle John and the Major took Beth
and Patsy away early, as soon as their booth was closed; but Lo