s sure to tell in the end."

"Ah, but he had your blood in him," declared Calvin Gray heartily.

Thus, all about them, in many quarters, were the young pair
affectionately discussed. Not the least eloquent in their praise were
the youngest members of the company.

"I say, but I'm proud of my new brother," declared Ted Gray, the picture
of youthful elegance, with every hair in place, and a white rose on the
lapel of his short evening-jacket. He was playing escort to the
prettiest of his girl cousins. "Isn't he a stunner to-night?"

"He always was--that is, since I've known him," responded Esther, Uncle
Philip's daughter. "I can't help laughing when I think of the Christmas
party last year, and how Rob made us all think he was a poor young man,
and she didn't like him at all. All of us girls thought she was so queer
not to want to dance with him, when he was so handsome and danced so
beautifully. I suppose she was just pretending she didn't care for him."

"Nobody ever'll know when Rob did change her mind about him," Ted
assured her. "She can make you think black's green when she wants to."

"Isn't she perfectly wonderful to-night?" sighed the pretty cousin, with
a glance from her own home-made frock--in which, however, she looked
like a freshly picked rose--to Roberta's bridal gown, shimmering through
mistiness, simplicity itself, yet, as the little cousin well knew, the
product of such art as she herself might never hope to command. "I
always thought she was perfectly beautiful, but she's absolutely
fascinating to-night."

"Tell that to Rich. I'm afraid he doesn't appreciate her," laughed Ted,
indicating his new brother-in-law, who, at the moment being temporarily
unemployed, was to be observed following his bride with his eyes with a
wistful gaze indicating helplessness without her even for a fraction of
time.

Roberta had been drawn a little away by her husband's best man, who had
something to tell her which he had reserved for this hour.

"Mrs. Kendrick," he was beginning--at which he was bidden to remember
that he had known the girl Roberta for many years; and so began again,
smiling with gratitude:

"Roberta, have you any idea what is happening in Eastman to-night?"

"Indeed I haven't, Hugh. Anything I ought to know of?"

"I think it's time you did. Every employee in our store is sitting down
to a great dinner, served by a caterer from this city, with a Christmas
favour at every plate. The place cards