AS Trif was a wife and , she had been moaning to herself for days about the expense of the Southern trip. Nevertheless, she arranged for a lunch party regardless of expense, as befitted an occasion when two happy couples, newly made so, were to be her guests. She promised herself that she would pay for it by not buying a single new article of clothing, not even a new frock, for the coming season. She would in any and every way; she would let her house, furnished, for a few months, and take Trixy and Fenie and herself to some out-of-the-way place where everything was cheap, and the other boarders would not know her old clothes from the newest. Further, as she would have to send home for more money, she sat down and wrote an ecstatic to her husband, telling him that she really thought it her duty, as a member of society, to complete the matches which were as good as made between and Fenie, Kate and Jermyn.  
Then she sent to Jermyn such a note as only a great-hearted, good-hearted woman could write, after which she insisted on to array Kate [Pg 164]as a queen should be dressed for her formal coronation. She was as earnest as she was , so she talked so strongly as well as romantically to Kate that the latter grew sweeter and handsomer every moment, until finally she felt as if the occasion would be one of instead of a meeting with the man who already seemed a very old acquaintance.
 
Trif told her she looked like a goddess, a sacrifice, an angel, a queen—everything a good woman could be while trying to devote her love and life to a man. Trif had been telling her, and Kate was in a condition of mind to believe it, that marriages were made in heaven, and despite all future ceremonies that might be necessary her obligations were already recorded above, and Kate rose to the dignity of the occasion, and looked sweeter and felt happier, although more and earnest than in all her life before, for were not all who were to be present quite near to her?—her brother, who seemed in the seventh heaven of happiness; Fenie, who appeared almost too beautiful, in her happiness and devotion, to be merely human; Trif, the woman who had known love for years and rejoiced in it with a nobility surpassing that of any other woman Kate had ever met; and Trixy—oh, Kate could take even Trixy to her heart. Mischief-making though the child had been, Trixy's hands and no others should flowers when the day came for Kate and Jermyn to be made husband and wife. What a heaven on earth this much-abused old world was, to be sure!
 
"Oh, Kate," exclaimed Trif, reappearing for about the twentieth time, "what do you suppose it can mean? Before breakfast I wrote Jermyn, asking him to lunch with us at noon, and I've just received word that he is not at the fort. He has gone away—gone to New York."
 
Kate almost , so Trif hurried to support her. Suddenly Kate changed her manner and exclaimed:
 
"What a grand fellow he is!"
 
"What do you mean?" asked Trif, almost doubting her own senses. Kate looked proud, then , after which she said softly:
 
"Last night I sent him word of what had happened—the remarks of those women, you know, who got hold of what Trixy had said, and I told him it would be necessary for me to return—that I would go to New York this morning. He has started at once to follow me. I might have imagined, in advance, that he would do exactly that. The splendid fellow!"
 
"The unhappy fellow, I should say," Trif. "There he goes, probably on the very train he supposed you would take, and he is looking for you, and his heart is aching as if——"
 
"Oh!" Kate, with the manner of a tragedy queen. "I never, never thought of that."
 
"De lunch is served, ladies," said the colored waiter who had been busying himself in the room for some moments.
 
"Come along, dear," said Trif. "If you love him as I loved Phil the day after he proposed you'll have him in your heart very safely, no matter how far away he may be. The more trouble you think him in, the dearer you will love him. As to the rest of us, we will promise to talk of him only."
 
"Indeed, yes," added Fenie, who had heard the unwelcome news, and hastened to offer . "I won't say a word about any one else—even about Harry."
 
"Neither will I," volunteered Trixy, who had followed her aunt into the room. "He——"
 
"You little—" interrupted Kate, moving toward the child with vengeful gesture, but Trixy continued:
 
"He looked so splendid last night when he kissed you that I haven't thought of anythin' since except the way papa kisses mamma."
 
Then both women blushed, and Fenie looked so oddly at Harry that the young man blushed too, but recovered to ask Fenie whether they shouldn't set the others a good example by leading the way to the table. Although very little time elapsed before the remainder of the party followed them, Fenie was found with brilliant roses in her cheeks, while upon her finger was a ring which none of the party but Harry had ever seen before, and Harry was looking as proud as a king, and Fenie was regarding him as if she were his most adoring and obedient subject.
 
"If my loss," said Kate gayly, after several significant glances from Trif had compelled her to see the brilliant upon Fenie's hand, "has been to the gain of any one else, or even to two other people, I shall endeavor to endure it bravely. I've always been sacrifi............