y; "and don't you see, Aunt Harriet, how many reasons
there were why Mr. Clyde and I should settle things definitely and become
engaged? Now there need be no further trouble with anybody."

Distressed as she was, Mrs. Archibald could not refrain from smiling. "No
further trouble!" she said. "I think you would better wait until Mr.
Archibald and your mother have heard this story before you say that."

Mr. Archibald was dressing for breakfast when his wife told him of
Margery's engagement, and the announcement caused him to twirl around so
suddenly that he came very near breaking a looking-glass with his
hair-brush. He made a dash for his coat. "I will see him," he said, and
his eyes sparkled in a way which indicated that they could discover a
malefactor without the aid of spectacles.

"Stop!" said his wife, standing in his way. "Don't go to them when you are
angry. We have just got out of trouble, and don't let us jump into it
again. If they are really and truly engaged--and I am sure they are--we
have no authority to break it off, and the less you say the better. What
we must do is to take her immediately to her mother, and let her settle
the matter as best she can. If she knows her daughter as well as I do, I
am sure she will acquit us of all blame."

Mr. Archibald was very indignant and said a great deal, but his wife was
firm in her counsel to avoid any hard words or bad feeling in a matter
over which they had now no control.

"Well," said he, at last, "I will pass over the whole affair to Mrs.
Dearborn, but I hope I may eat my breakfast without seeing them. Whatever
happens, I need a good meal."

When Mr. Archibald came out of the breakfast-room, his mind considerably
composed by hot rolls and coffee, he met Margery in the hall.

"Dear Uncle Archibald," she exclaimed, "I have been waiting and waiting
for you. I hope you are not angry. Please be as kind to us as you can, and
remember, it was just the same with us as it was with you and Aunt
Harriet. You would not have run away from the camp in the middle of the
night if you could have helped it, and we should not have been engaged so
suddenly if we could have helped it. But we all had to do what we did on
account of the conduct of others, and as it is settled now, I think we
ought all to try to be as happy as we can, and forget our troubles. Here
is Harrison, and he and I both pray from the bottom of our hearts that you
will shake hands with him. I know you alw