lay the blame on her," Stephen cautioned with a smile. "You
yourself were only too anxious to get there. You wanted to see yourself
in a new uniform."

"I did, then. I was terr'bly anxious t' see meself in a red suit, wasn't
I?"

The company enjoyed this exchange of repartee and laughed continually.
Jim ever enjoyed the distinction of being tormented by the members of
whatever gathering he was in, yet it was never known when he was
powerless of providing for himself.

And so they talked far into the morning. They sat in groups of twos and
threes, long after the table had been cleared, while the willing
helpers, the good neighbors, plied themselves industriously out in the
kitchen with the cleaning of the dishes and the restoration of the house
again to its proper order. Marjorie and her mother looked in through the
doorway from time to time at the progress of the work, only to be
banished as quickly by the cohort of willing toilers. For once in their
lives the girl and her fond mother mingled entirely with the guests and
took their full measure of enjoyment with the company.

As the guests departed one after the other, leaving behind them many
benedictions and choice wishes for the bride and groom, the house
settled down to its accustomed quietude and uniformity with the
immediate family, Jim and his wife alone remaining. Jim, like every
recognized master in his own household, sat with his one leg across the
other, enjoying his tobacco, while his less aristocratic helpmate took
care that the kitchen affairs were given their due amount of attention.
With abatement of the excitement and commotion the members of the family
betook themselves upon various journeys, the father to look at his fire
so as to give it, if needed, a few generous pokes; the mother, to the
kitchen to add a touch here and there to the arrangement of its
utensils; Marjorie to her room in order that she might once more robe
herself in her plainer and more habitual apparel. The festivities were
at an end and the practical things of life again asserted their stern
reality.

III

At length Stephen and Marjorie were alone, alone in their own little
world of fancies and dreams. They were standing by the upstairs window
looking out at the little fence where they had stood together more than
two years before on the afternoon of his arrest. Stephen recalled his
impressions of her then, yet she was more beautiful now, he thought. She
had changed her g