"Dolly's not of age," said Miss Patty wearily. "I've sat up all night
figuring it out. He's going to annul the marriage, or he'll make a
scandal anyhow, and that's just as bad. Dolly,"--she turned to her
sister imploringly--"Dolly, I can't have a scandal now. You know how
Oskar's people have taken this, anyhow; they've given in, because he
insisted, but they don't want me, and if there's a lot of notoriety now
the emperor will send him to Africa or some place, and--"

"I wish they would!" Mrs. Carter burst out suddenly. "I hate the whole
thing. They only tolerate you--us--for our money. You needn't look at
me like that; Oskar may be all right, but his mother and sisters are
hateful--simply hateful!"

"I'll not be with them."

"No, but they'll be with you." Mrs. Dicky walked over to the window and
looked out, dabbing her eyes. "You've been everything to me, Pat, and
I'm so happy now--I'd rather be here on a soap box with Dick than on
a throne or a dais or whatever you'll have to sit on over there, with
Oskar. I want to be happy--and you won't. Look at Alice Thorne and her
duke!"

"If you really want me to be happy," Miss Patty said, going over to her,
"you'll go back to school until the wedding is over."

"I won't leave Dicky." She swung around and gave Mr. Dick an adoring
glance, and Miss Patty looked discouraged.

"Take him with you," she said. "Isn't there some place near where he
could stay, and telephone you now and then?"

"Telephone!" said Mrs. Dick scornfully.

"Can't leave," Mr. Dick objected. "Got to be on the property."

Miss Patty shrugged her shoulders and turned to go. "You're both
perfectly hopeless," she said. "I'll go and tell father, Dorothy, but
you know what will happen. You'll be back in school at Greenwich by
to-night, and your--husband will probably be under arrest." She opened
the door, but I dropped the toast I was making and ran after her.

"If he is arrested," I said, "they'll have to keep him on the place. He
can't leave."

She didn't say anything; she lifted her hand and looked at the ruby
ring, and then she glanced back into the room where Mr. Dick and his
wife were whispering together, and turned up her coat collar.

"I'm going," she said, and stepped into the snow. But they called her
back in a hurry.

"Look here, Miss--Miss Patricia," Mr. Dick said, "why can't we stay
here, where we are? It's very comfortable--that is, it's livable.
There's plenty of fresh air, anyhow, a