to go she said, "Why didn't you ask me forty years ago,
Jess?"

"'Cause I was a durned fool 'n' dassent," he answered, "but I've
outgrowed it now."

CHAPTER XL

A GOOD SEND-OFF

Out of the many weddings inevitably occurring on Rockhaven but few ever
attained to the importance of a trip to the mainland. The sense of
utility among them, the need of every dollar toward home furnishing, and
the practical side of life always uppermost in the minds of all left no
place for sentiment and honeymoon.

But when it became known, as it soon did, that the youthful romance of
Jess Hutton and Letty Carver had finally culminated, and that the
universal opinion and expectation of what they would do when Jess
returned to the island was about to be realized a wave of enthusiasm and
friendly interest swept over Rockhaven.

And, furthermore, when it was learned that Jess was to sell his store to
Captain Doty, and that he and his bride and Mona were to spend a few
months in the city, the excitement knew no bounds, and when Sunday came
and the three, now conspicuous ones, walked to church as usual, it was
to receive an ovation of good wishes and congratulations, and so
persistent were all in good will that, when church was out, the entire
congregation crowded around them.

To Mona it came as the surprise of her life, and went far to change the
current of her thoughts and make her forget her own troubles.

"I can call you papa now, can't I, Uncle Jess?" she had said, when he
had told her; and hugging him like a child she had thus made his heart
glad. It all seemed as a matter of course to young and old alike, and as
the days went by it began to dawn on Jess that he had not only been a
"durned fool" forty years ago, but continued to be one for the past
fifteen.

It had been decided by them to have a quiet wedding at home, and the day
set barely long enough ahead to give Mrs. Doty, the dressmaker, time to
do her part; but Rockhaven, hearing of it, objected, and the next Sunday
evening a committee, headed by Captain Roby, invaded the privacy of Mrs.
Hutton's home.

"We hev cum," said the jolly master of the island steamer, addressing
Jess in particular, and Mrs. Hutton and Mona in general, "to convey the
good wishes o' everybody here to you folks an' ask ye to hev yer
weddin' in church so ter give us all a chance to show our good will and
how much we think o' ye by bein' present. It air the univarsal feelin'
here," he conti