ell her that he had known she would
send him to his duty, then he was off. The door slammed behind him, and
outside the Imp's horn sent back a parting salute.

From the bottom stair Martha Macauley, distressed young matron
and hostess, gazed up at her sister, who, with arms leaning on the
vine-wreathed rail at the landing, was smiling down at her.

"Ellen! Was ever anything so crazy! I did suppose Red would take time
enough to be married in. There's everybody coming."

"So few you can easily telephone them all to wait."

"And the breakfast under way--"

"It will keep."

"Aren't you superstitious enough not to want to postpone your wedding?"
demanded Martha urgently.

The dark braids of hair swung violently as the bride's head was
emphatically shaken. "Martha! Take it back! Let somebody die because I
was afraid to wait two hours?"

"I don't believe anybody would die," insisted Martha. "Somebody could be
found. It's just Red's ridiculous craze for surgery. I always said he'd
rather operate than eat. Now, it seems he'd rather operate than be--"

But at this moment a large, determined hand came over her mouth from
behind, as James Macauley, junior, arriving upon the scene, asserted
his authority. He was in bathrobe and slippers, having been excitedly
interviewed by Chester through the bathroom door.

"Quit fussing, Marty. The thing can't be helped, and if Ellen doesn't
mind I don't know why we should. If we were having a houseful it would
be fierce, but with only ourselves and the Chesters and the minister's
family and Red's people--I'll go telephone Mr. Harding now."

As Martha freed herself from the silencing hand the front door opened
again. This time it was Mrs. Richard Warburton--Burns's young sister
Anne--also in somewhat informal attire, over which she had thrown an
evening coat. She surveyed the group with laughing eyes. She herself had
been married within the year.

"It's absurd, isn't it?" she cried. "But it's just like Red. Ellen knows
that, don't you, dear? Ellen'll not only take him for better and for
worse, but for present and for absent--mostly absent! But we're rather
proud of him over at the house. Father's walking up and down and
saying no other fellow would have done it, and Mother's all tearful and
smiling. Dick wanted to go in with him, but of course Miss Mathewson had
to go: he seldom operates without her."

"It's so uncertain when he'll get back," mourned Martha, still
unreconciled.