you did teach me
one thing: you taught me what sort of a wife not to be. I learned from
you never to be married after the fashion in which you and Aunt Emma are
married."

Delancy was not blest with an overabundant sense of humor. Now, he
forgot the general charge against him in shocked surprise over the final
statement, which he took literally.

"Look here, Cicily," he remonstrated. "It took twenty-two minutes in the
old First Presbyterian Church to marry your Aunt Emma and me. You
couldn't possibly get a more binding ceremony."

Cicily laughed disdainfully.

"Well, it's my opinion that you've never been married at all, really,"
she persisted, with a bantering seriousness. "You wouldn't have been
really married if you had spent two whole days in the church." Then, in
answer to the pained amazement expressed on her uncle's face, she
continued succinctly: "Yes, I mean it, Uncle Jim. Aunt Emma has been
second wife ever since those twenty-two minutes in the old First
Presbyterian Church, to which you referred so feelingly.... And she has
my sympathy. You married business first, and Aunt Emma afterward.
Business had the first claim, and has always kept first place. That's
why Aunt Emma has my sympathy."

Delancy rose from his chair, greatly offended, now that he perceived the
manner in which he had been bamboozled by the wayward humor of his
niece. He moved toward the door at a pace as hurried as dignity would
permit. There, he turned to address his disrespectful former ward.

"Charles has my sympathy!" he growled; and stalked from the room.

"Don't forget that you are coming to dinner on Sunday--with your second
wife!" the irrepressible Cicily called after him impertinently. But, if
the reminder was heard, it was not answered; and husband and wife were
left alone together.

Hamilton would have remonstrated with his bride over her wholly
unnecessary irritating of her uncle, but he was not given an
opportunity. Before the door was fairly shut behind her offended
relation, Cicily took the war into the enemy's camp by a curt question:

"Now, Charles, why do you cut wages?"

"Because I have to," was the prompt response.

"And why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you? Nonsense!" The man's tone was expressive of extreme
annoyance.

"But I'm your partner," Cicily persisted bravely, although her heart
sank under the rebuff. "You yourself said that I was."

"Well, and so you are, since you want it so," Hamilton admitte