ady's mental troubles were not over
when she had given her consent. As this scheme had been devised by those
dearest to her on earth, and as it was certain, these dearest persons
assured her, to meet with the approbation of all people of advanced
thought--at least of those whose thought had advanced far enough to make
it worthy of their consideration--she felt that in doing her part she
ought to do it honestly and with her whole heart; and at her time of life,
to act as a proxy for a young bride by taking a wedding-journey in that
young bride's place was a very difficult thing for Mrs. Archibald to do
honestly and with her whole heart. But she would try to do it. Whatever
else happened, her family must be kept happy, and it should never be said
of her that she hung like a millstone around the combined neck of that
family when it was unitedly climbing towards altitudes of felicity, which,
although she was not able to discern them, must exist, since that fact had
been so earnestly insisted upon by Mr. Archibald, Kate, and Rodney
Bringhurst.

Thus was this exceptional hymeneal performance decided upon, and at eleven
o'clock on Wednesday, the 6th of June, the marriage service was performed.
At noon the guests sat down to breakfast, and at two o'clock that
afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Hector Archibald departed on the wedding-trip,
leaving behind Mr. and Mrs. Bringhurst at home with each other, and "not
at home" to the world.

CHAPTER II

ENTER MARGERY

At four o'clock on the afternoon of June 6th Mr. and Mrs. Hector Archibald
arrived at a family hotel in the capital of their state. Where they should
go from there had not been decided upon. Nothing in regard to their
wedding-journey had been decided upon except that they were to return to
their home on the 6th of July of that year, and not before. It would have
been impossible, with their minds filled with bridal arrangements, for
them to make plans for their journey. But at this first stopping-place,
where they were free from all responsibility and interruptions, they
could, at their leisure, decide where they should go, how they should go,
and what they should do when they got there.

After the unrest and turmoil of their own home during the past few weeks,
the quiet and repose of this city hotel were delightful. That evening they
went to the theatre, and after the performance they had a little supper at
a restaurant.

"People may not think we are a newly married p