said Mrs. Trapes rather hastily. "Nigh
killed the loafer, Spider Connolly told me."

"He's so strong," said Hermione softly, her eyes shining. "But, Ann,
what did you mean about--about toothbrushes and socks?"

"Mean? Why, socks an' toothbrushes, o' course. An' my land! here's me
guzzlin' tea, an' over in my kitchen th' finest shin o' beef you ever
saw a-b'ilin' f'r his supper. But now the question as burns is, if a
married man this night, will he be here t' eat? An' if him--then you?
An' if man an' wife suppin' in my parlour--where will ye sleep?"

"I--oh, Ann--I don't know. His letter just said that when I came home it
would be our--wedding night!"

"Why, then it sure will be. An' f'r a weddin' supper, y' couldn't have
nothin' better 'n shin o' beef. I'll go an' watch over that stoo with
care unfailin', my dear; believe me, that stoo's goin' t' be a stoo as
is a stoo! What, half after five? Land sakes, how time flies!"

CHAPTER XXIX

IN WHICH HERMIONE MAKES A FATEFUL DECISION

When Mrs. Trapes was gone, Hermione stood a long time to look at herself
in her little mirror, viewing and examining each feature of her lovely,
intent face more earnestly than she had ever done before; and sometimes
she smiled, and sometimes she frowned, and all her thought was:

"Shall I make him happy, I wonder? Can I be all he wants--all he thinks
I am?"

So, after some while, she combed and brushed out her glorious hair,
shyly glad because of its length and splendour; and, having crowned her
shapely head with it, viewed the effect with cold, hypercritical eyes.

"Can I, oh, can I ever be all he wants--all he thinks I am?"

And then she proceeded to dress; the holey stockings were replaced by
others that had seen less service; the worn frills and laces were
changed for others less threadbare. This done, Hermione, with many
supple twists, wriggled dexterously into her best dress, pausing now and
then to sigh mournfully and grieve over its many deficiencies and
shortcomings, defects which only feminine eyes, so coldly critical,
might hope to behold.

Scarcely was all this accomplished when she heard a soft knock at the
outer door, and at the sound her heart leapt; she flushed and paled and
stood a moment striving to stay the quick, heavy throbbing within her
bosom; then breathlessly she hastened along the passage and, opening the
door with trembling hands, beheld Bud M'Ginnis. While she stared, dumb
and amazed, he entered