ning out from between the iron railing surrounding the
square, crossed the pavement and then sat erect in front of us, his
bushy tail waving like a brush over his ears. While she was bending over
to speak to it, the Bland surrey turned the corner at a rapid pace, and
I saw the figure of Miss Mitty, swathed heavily in black, sitting very
stiff and upright behind old Shadrach. As she caught sight of us, she
leaned slightly forward, and in obedience to her order, the carriage
stopped the next instant beside the pavement.

"Sally!" she called, and there was no hint in her manner that she was
aware of my presence.

"Yes, Aunt Mitty." The girl had straightened herself, and stood calmly
and without embarrassment at my side.

"I should like you to come with me to Hollywood."

"Yes, Aunt Mitty."

Pausing for an instant, she gave me her hand. "Until Wednesday, Ben,"
she said in a low, clear voice, and then entering the surrey, she took
her place under the fur robe and was driven away.

The week dragged by like a century, and on Wednesday morning, when I got
up and opened my shutters, I found that our wedding-day had begun in a
slow autumnal rain. A thick tent of clouds stretched overhead, and the
miniature box in the garden looked like flutings of crape on the pebbled
walk, which had been washed clean and glistening during the night. The
clipped yew stood dark and sombre as a solitary mourner among the
blossomless rose-bushes.

At breakfast Mrs. Clay poured my coffee with a rigid hand and an averted
face, and Dr. Theophilus appeared to find difficulty in keeping up his
cheerful morning comments.

"I'll miss you, Ben, my boy," he remarked, as he rose from the table;
"it's a sad day for me when I lose you."

"I hate to lose you, doctor, but I shan't, after all, be far off. I've
bought a house, as you know, beyond the Park in Franklin Street."

"The one Jack Montgomery used to live in before he lost his money--yes,
it is a fine place. Well, you have my best wishes, Ben, whatever comes;
you may be sure of that. I hope you and Sally will have every
happiness."

He shook my hand in his hearty grasp before going into his little
office, and the next minute I went out into the rain, and walked down
for a few words with the General, before I met Sally under the big
sycamore at the side gate. I had waited for her but a little while when
she came out under an umbrella held by Aunt Euphronasia, who was to
accompany us on our jou