rk as to a severe discipline, and worked away for three
or four hours with great advantage; for, when at twelve o'clock he
retired to bed, he fell asleep and slept soundly until morning.

That is what work did for Ishmael. And work will do as much for anyone
who will try it.

It is true in the morning he awoke to a new sense of woe; but the day
had also its work to discipline him. He breakfasted with Bee and her
father and the judge, who were the only members of the family present at
the table; and then he went to the City Hall, where he had an
appointment with the District Attorney.

That morning the engagement between Lord Vincent and Claudia was
formally announced to the family circle. And Bee understood the secret
of Ishmael's sudden illness. The marriage was appointed to take place on
the first of the ensuing month, and so the preparations for the event
were at once commenced.

Mrs. Middleton and Claudia went to New York to order the wedding outfit.
They were gone a week, and when they returned Claudia, though much
thinner in flesh, seemed to have recovered the gloom that had been
frightened away by the viscount's first kiss.

The great responsibility of the home preparations fell upon Bee. The
house had to be prepared for visitors; not only for the wedding guests;
but also for friends and relatives of the family, who were coming from a
distance and would remain for several days. For the last mentioned, new
rooms had to be made ready. And all this was to be done under the
immediate supervision of Beatrice.

As on two former occasions, Miss Merlin called in the aid of her three
favorite ministers--Vourienne, Devizae, and Dureezie.

On the morning of the last day of June Vourienne and his assistants
decorated the dining room. On the evening of the same day Devizae and
his waiters laid the table for the wedding breakfast. And then the room
was closed up until the next day. While the family took their meals in
their small breakfast room.

During the evening relatives from a distance arrived and were received
by Bee, who conducted them to their rooms.

By this inroad of visitors Bee herself, with the little sister who
shared her bed, were driven up into the attic to the plain spare room
next to Ishmael's own. Here, early in the evening, as he sat at his
work, he could hear Bee, who would not neglect little Lu for anything
else in the world, rocking and singing her to sleep. And Ishmael, too,
who had just laid